Tamblin Demosthene and the Narrow Ground
by Tlalcopan
Summary: Tamblin, Cascata, Hannah, and Susan are in their fourth year. The tri-wizard cup, a menacing new Dark Arts teacher, exploring more of the secrets of the Artiste's Alcove. Romance and Unforgivable Curses are in the air.
1. Chapter 1

**Tamblin Demosthene and the Narrow Ground**

Tamblin looked at the page but did not see it.

The summer passed quickly as always. And as always the demands of his estates buried him in paperwork. There never seemed to be an end to the lawyers, accountants, managers, corporate officers, and so on who needed to be seen, approved, queried, and signed for. The Demosthene estates were substantial and incorporated holdings in 12 different countries as the muggles reckoned things and 3 magical jurisdictions. Majority ownership of two mediums sized corporations as well as interests in a number of smaller companies. Had his family maintained strictly magical holdings things would have been somewhat simpler. But his family dated back to the times before a strict separation between muggles and the magical world, and so had holdings in both. Holdings that required some amount of maintenance and personal attention no matter how much effort was made to make the system self sustaining.

Then too he had to make time to use the portkey to visit with Cascata at the school. His fairly unique abilities, inherited due to the magics his mother was taught, allowed him to become virtually invisible, but they had to be balanced with time spent with an anchor. Cascata was that anchor for him. Without that precaution his power would divorce him from reality, taking first his sanity and eventually his ability to interact with the world at all. He would become like _her._

He tried not to think much about his mother. He knew she was almost certainly still around. Too far gone to harm anyone now but endless in her rage. The power prevented the need for sleep, for food, even for air. It might even keep her immortal.

He shuddered. His mother was in a hell of her own manufacture. One that he would join her in were he not careful.

 _You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for my lord._

He tried to shake the memory from last year but couldn't. He'd brought Cascata back to the mansion after he'd been warned that she was not imagining things. That his mother was indeed trying to come back and that Cascata was the key to her return. He'd returned home and come face to face with the thing his mother had become after a decade of estrangement from the world.

And she'd said _those_ words. At the time they meant nothing to him. It was only later that he found they kept creeping back into his mind. He'd gnaw and worry at the phrase trying to determine what it had meant. Had Voldemort brought his parents together? Introduced them? He'd shown Tamblin's mother the rudiments of the power that made her one of His Invisibles. Was that what it meant? That without her allegiance to Voldemort she would have remained the socially invisible girl she'd been in school? That, without Him, Tamblin's family would never have formed?

Or was it more direct? Had she meant that Tamblin owed more to Voldemort than his parent's marriage? Was it possible? Or merely the ranting of a mind turned insane with hatred? How close had his mother been to her 'lord?'

Tamblin sighed and pulled out his wand. He'd inadvertently ruined the sheaf of papers he was supposed to be signing by leaving his quill on the page too long.

"Scourgify."

The mess on the page disappeared, the one in his thoughts remained.


	2. Chapter 2

He retrieved the pouch with the metal hoop that had been enchanted as a portkey between his mansion and the school. Careful not to touch the hoop itself yet he walked through the mansion and out the double doors to the front lawn. Dumbledore had arranged for the portkey once it became clear, during his second year at Hogwarts, that Tamblin needed an anchor. Cascata was the logical choice. The only choice really. And she had accepted readily.

Last summer she had come to the house for their visits. But the knowledge that his mother was still around and surely trying to re-establish a connection to Cacata made Tamblin uncomfortable with bringing her here. It was foolish since he knew that there was nothing preventing his mother from traveling to the school. He'd told Cascata that he would visit her there because he had too much to do at the house. If they wanted to actually do something together he'd have to leave it all behind. She accepted this but with a definite uncertainty.

The truth however would have been too dangerous. His mother's hold had been broken by erasing all of Cascata's memories of the woman. Anything that might return those memories threatened to re-establish that hold. Cascata's best friends had maintained a conspiracy against her finding out the truth of the previous year. That the conspiracy was as much for her benefit as theirs didn't make it any easier to lie to her.

Tamblin took hold of the ring and was flung through space. Portkey travel was fast and convenient for those too young to apparate, or those going some place proof against apparition like Hogwarts. Below him England's countryside sped by much too fast for him to keep track of. Hogwarts was somewhere in the north, in or near Scotland. He wasn't quite sure exactly, but far from his own home near London proper. Within moments he landed on the lawn in front of the great doors of Hogwarts castle. The portkey had originally transported between his own home and Cascata's dormitory, back when she'd come to see him. Once the roles had reversed Dumbledore altered the magic to prevent any "untoward appearances" he had said.

Dusting himself off, Tamblin looked around and didn't see Cascata anywhere. Their visitation was pre-arranged and she'd always met him here previously. He looked up at the great mass of the castle and its' out buildings. It was very large and had a grandeur that had impressed him since he'd seen it as a first year student crossing the lake on those wretched boats. During the school year the castle would bustle with dozens of students in each of four houses as well as the teachers, staff, house elves and so on During these summers it was fairly deserted. The house elves remained to take care of those few of the staff that didn't leave- and two students.

Cascata remained at the school because she was estranged from her muggle father. The man had married a witch. She had died. The father lost a wife. The daughter lost a mother, and more. When Cascata showed sign of being a witch the father turned away from her. She said that it was too painful for him to be reminded, and he had remarried, this time a muggle.

The talent Cascata was born with meant her life would change and never be the same. She would leave behind a father and a younger sister. That sister would get a letter by owl two years later and the cycle would repeat. It might have been a happy day for Cascata, being reunited with a sister she thought lost, but young Callista Vega had convinced herself that it was somehow her sister's fault she was a witch. If losing her family had hurt Cascata before, having her sister at hand but out of reach was worse.

Callista's sorting into Slytherin hadn't helped. It had introduced her to questionable influences.


	3. Chapter 3

Cascata was sitting by herself at the gigantic table that would hold the entire hufflepuff house during the regular school year. Her breakfast however was long forgotten. Instead she was reading the Daily Prophet with an unusual intensity. Even when Tamblin sat down opposite her at the table she didn't look up.

"Ahem."

Cascata jumped at the sound and looked up. When she saw Tamblin she let out a deep sigh.

"Oh jeez. You startled me. Are you early? What time is it?"

"Am I ever early?"

She rolled her eyes.

"No. Punctuality is a genetic trait of the Demosthenes. Sorry, I lost track of time. I can't believe what happened."

"What happened?"

She looked slightly scandalized.

"All that money and you don't get the paper?"

"I have two months of back papers at home but I haven't had time to so much as glance at them. What happened?"

Cascata held up the front page of the Prophet to show him.

"SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDITCH WORLD CUP" it read in a huge font over a picture of a sky lit up by a giant skull and snake symbol.

Tamblin took the paper gently from her hands and read the article.

"Why would Death Eaters be coming out into the open like that," she asked.

"I don't know. They were sending a message, but to whom?"

"It makes the ministry look weak," she said. "I mean, a big event like that and the Death Eaters just stroll in and wreck everything and none of them get apprehended?"

Tamblin laid the paper down on the table between them. Both of them stared at the front page in thought. The symbolism of the moment wasn't lost on Tamblin. Here he was separated from Cascata because they were on opposite sides of this reminder of Voldemort's rampage. His family had supported Voldemort. Her mother had died in a duel between a Death Eater and an Auror.

 _You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for my lord._

And just as he was convinced that destiny made things impossible, Cascata reached across the table and took his hand.

"You looked a little lost," she said and squeezed his hand.

"Just for a moment."

She was good at that. At reaching him when he was on the verge of shutting everything out. It was what made her a perfect anchor for him. He stood up and she did likewise. They had to keep their arms extended to reach over the table but they didn't let go as they walked down its length and away from the paper.


	4. Chapter 4

Platform 9 ¾ was soaked. The rain forced the assembled crowd of students and well wishers under what shelter there was.

Tamblin squeezed as far back into his usual corner as possible and grimaced at the crowd pressing close around him. He had strongly considered using the portkey to travel to the school for the start of the year. Portkey travel however was tightly controlled by the ministry. He wasn't sure if his use at a time when he wasn't scheduled to visit Cascata would trigger an inquiry but after the events of the last two years he felt he had best step very carefully around them. In addition he had other friends and he had to admit he was looking forward to seeing them too. Hannah had really grown from the meek little shadow that followed Susan around. Susan was much the same as she had been: self assured, capable, head strong. They complimented each other well as friends. They'd also kept the secret of the last year from Cascata.

Before he saw Hannah or Susan arrive the train opened its' doors. For once the students seemed anxious to get aboard rather than mill about on the platform socializing and saying goodbyes.

On board the train he found a seat in an empty compartment and waited. A few Hufflepuffs filtered into join him. He'd become something of a fixture amongst them because of his close friendship with Cascata, Susan, and Hannah. It didn't hurt too that by tradition in his family one bought a meal for one's traveling companions. The train was quickly filling with damp students and the warmth caused the windows to steam up.

Hannah walked in to the compartment. Her long blond hair was so matted down with water that she looked like a confused mermaid that had somehow stumbled into London. Her rounded features lit up when she saw Tamblin and she quickly moved to sit next to him.

"Where's Susan," he asked.

"I think I saw her out on the platform. She had a really big trunk, but her dad was helping her with it and I just had to get out of that rain."

Hannah turned oddly conspiratorial and leaned in to whisper at Tamblin.

"I didn't actually hear much from her this summer. She spent a lot of time conversing with someone else though."

Her eyes pointed across the cabin and then snapped back. Tamblin looked over and noticed Ernie Macmillan fidgeting as he sat. First he sort of leaned back in his seat to look deliberately casual. Then he leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees. Then he puffed himself up and sat very straight and tall. Each time the door to the compartment opened he would smile and seem to laugh at some joke before looking over at who had come in.

Tamblin looked back at Hannah slightly confused but Hannah just nodded knowingly.

The compartment door opened again and this time Susan was there. She didn't come into the compartment. Instead she looked at Hannah and Tamblin and smiled, then played some strange game where she and Ernie tried to spend as much time as possible looking at each other but only if the other one wasn't. While doing this she waved to and greeted all the people in the cabin.

"Tamblin," she said suddenly, "this trunk is too large to fit in there with everyone. Can you help me put it in the baggage car?"

"Uh, sure, Susan."

Tamblin went out into the passageway to help lift one end of the seriously oversized trunk. Before he left he noticed a scowl on Ernie's face.


	5. Chapter 5

Carrying the trunk proved very easy. It was bulky but seemed to weigh no more than the usual. As they maneuvered it down the aisle to the last car Tamblin tried to ask about it but Susan just looked at him sternly and shushed him.

When they reached the door to the last car, which held only baggage, Susan looked furtively around. Trying to figure out what was going on Tamblin looked too, but saw nothing of interest. The aisle was deserted by now as the students got settled for the trip.

Susan opened the door and proceeded through. Once Tamblin was in the door she dropped the trunk and quickly closed the door behind him. She looked over the car for a moment and then came back to him.

"Wha-"

She pulled out her wand and aimed at the door behind him.

"Colloportus." She tugged at the door and seemed satisfied it was sealed.

Tamblin stared at her.

"What are you doing?"

She looked very pleased with herself.

"Sorry about all that, just had to be sure we could talk safely. The big trunk was a good idea don't you think? I doubt anybody suspects."

"Talk about what? Suspects what?"

Susan bit her lip.

"This may sound odd but I have a message for you. It is from my aunt."

"Your aunt?"

She leaned in closer to whisper.

"Amelia."

"Ah." Tamblin had met Madam Bones the previous year. The shrewd old witch was head of magical law enforcement. Tamblin had been quite impressed with the woman's mind. He had believed her to have a relationship to Susan but didn't know its' nature before.

"You know her?" Susan looked like she had expected Tamblin to be completely at a loss.

"I've met her. Once." Tamblin suspected that her aunt's formidable capabilities and powerful position were much of the reason Susan had so much pressure to succeed on her. "She's… impressive."

Susan sort of grimaced.

"Yeah, my aunt is quite well respected and known. I'm lucky to be her niece."

"I think she's pretty lucky in that arrangement too, and I got the impression she knows it."

Susan blushed, just a little.

"Thanks. This is the first thing she's ever asked me to do that wasn't… you know… kids stuff."

"You want to impress her."

"Well, yeah. I guess." She shrugged but it was clear her aunt's approval was a very big deal to her.

"Okay, so tell me the message." Tamblin was starting to get a suspicion as to why Amelia Bones would want to send him a message through such unofficial channels.

Susan took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she spoke it was with deliberate precision.

"She said that there was an 'inordinate amount of attention' being focused on you at the ministry. After the attack on the Quidditch World Cup especially. She said that as far as she's concerned you can 'choose your own path' but that there are others in the ministry who disagree. She also said 'choose wisely.' Does any of that make sense to you?"

"Unfortunately, it does."

"What's going on?"

"The ministry is interested in my ability. They think of me as a tool to be used. Your aunt is a hard woman but fair. This is her way of letting me know that whatever the ministry does won't have her backing."

Susan looked sort of in awe.

"Wow. Your life seems really… interesting… compared to mine. I can't imagine anybody at the ministry spying on me."

"It sounds better than it feels, trust me." Tamblin grinned mischievously. "Besides… from what I hear it sounds like your life got a bit interesting this summer."

Susan _stammered_.

"W-wha do you m-mean?"

So there was something to it.

"Like I could miss you and Mr. MacMillan trying to be all nonchalant."

Tamblin probably would have missed it if Hannah hadn't mentioned anything.

Susan was blushing a lot now.

"Our families know each other and so we just did some stuff over the break together. Nothing big. Just, you know, talking, and walks and stuff. Like you and Cascata… What?"

It was Tamblin's turn to look a bit flustered.

"I was thinking about asking Cascata to go…"

"Go? Go where?"

"… um… out."

"Out? Go out? Oh! Go _out_. Oh, you should. You _totally_ should."

"I'm not sure. You can't tell anyone. Not even Hannah. And _definitely_ not Ernie."

Susan stamped her foot.

"Alright, but you better make up your mind soon, this isn't easy news to keep."

"We better get back before Ernie gets jealous."

Susan smiled.

"Maybe we could wait just a teensy bit longer."

Tamblin ignored her and, using Alohomora to open the sealed door, left. Susan followed.

Everybody looked at them when they returned to the compartment. Tamblin sat down next to Hannah. Before Susan could sit with them they both spread out just enough that there wasn't room for her. She put on a mock stern face before turning around and finding a space conveniently open next to Ernie. Soon the two were whispering and laughing together. The sound of the rain on the roof was very soothing and as the miles passed Hannah laid her head on Tamblin's shoulder. She seemed asleep and he hated to wake her. Madam Bones' warning, though, kept his mind too occupied for rest.


	6. Chapter 6

That night Tamblin lay awake in his bed in the Ravenclaw dormitory. He wasn't tired and was strongly tempted to take one of his nightly walks around the grounds. For the moment he was waiting for the other students in the dorm to fall asleep. They were chattering excitedly about Dumbledore's announcement at the welcoming feast.

The Triwizard tournament.

Tamblin was excited as well but for a different reason. He had no interest in the contest itself but the opportunity it afforded. His father had been educated at Durmstrang, and his father before him and so on back all the way to the founding of the school. Tamblin had never personally visited the school, but now it was coming to him, or a portion of it anyway. Among the Durmstrang faculty there might be some who knew and could speak of his father.

 _You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for my lord._

He might even be able to pull _that_ dart if the Durmstrang teachers knew enough about his father.

The other news at the feast had thrilled him much less. They had of course started the year with yet another new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Tamblin was immensely put off by their choice. Word of mouth had it that Mad-eye Moody was an ex-Ministry man somehow convinced to come out of retirement to teach at Hogwarts. Given Susan's warning on the train, Tamblin was suspicious. Why was an old Ministry man, an Auror at that, suddenly chosen for the post? Not even an active member but one who had to be lured out of retirement? And that eye!

Tamblin had an immediate and severe hatred of that magical eye of Moody's. He could feel its power stabbing out across the hall as it innocuously rolled around in his socket. Because of his power, Tamblin was acutely sensitive to attention and perception. Cascata possessed a formidable ability to notice detail and to Tamblin her focus was like a searchlight. This eye of Moody's was just as intense but focused down to an almost painful beam. It was anathema to his nature. Why send a man with _that thing_ to the school if not to keep watch on the one student who might otherwise pass unobserved?

Tamblin was unsure how to deal with the Ministry interest. There was of course suspicion on some parts that he was or would involve himself with forces arrayed against the Ministry. With the Death Eaters re-emerging onto the scene that concern probably had new urgency. He had to allay that suspicion while not letting himself get made a Ministry pawn. Getting involved, even peripherally, in the fight between the Ministry and the Death Eaters last time had killed his father and nearly ruined his house. If there was to be a new contest the Demosthenes would not be arrayed with either side.


	7. Chapter 7

Flitwick tried for some time to get the students to focus on Amaranthine charms in class the next day. They, however, were still far too excited about the Triwizard Tournament to pay attention to something as mundane as preserving foods and flowers.

"Class…" Flitwick squeaked as he stood on his desk. "Alright class, put away your wands. Why don't we put off any academics 'til tomorrow. For the rest of the period we can talk about the upcoming Tournament, since you all will be anyway. So who has a question about it? I'll be particularly grateful for some charms related questions so that we all might learn something about the subject at hand."

Immediately several hands went up. Flitwick looked around.

"Yes, Mr. Smith."

Zacharias said, "Did people really die during the tournament?"

Flitwick chortled.

"Oh, very few really died, my boy. Some competitors, and the occasional judge, but almost never the spectators, which of course all of you will be. Just the same you might consider skipping the front row seats."

Next to Zacharias, Ernie Macmillan's hand was already held stiffly up.

"Yes, Mr. Macmillan?"

Rather than just blurt out his question Ernie stood up, arms held at his sides.

"I wanted to ask what kinds of tasks competitors in previous games had to do, sir."

Then he sat down again amidst a couple quiet snickers. Tamblin turned to Cascata and whispered.

"Susan likes him?"

Cascata whispered back.

"You're one to talk. You've been like that since you were a first year. Took Ernie a while to work up to pretentious."

Tamblin nudged her in the side with his elbow and she made a small snorting laugh that made others around her turn and look. She blushed and covered her mouth with her hand.

Flitwick meanwhile was answering the question, "…climbing mountains in giant territory, catching cockatrices, and so on. The challenges are meant to be grueling for an accomplished older student. The thrill of the competition! Ah, takes me back to my old dueling days…"

But the class was having none of that. The topic was, and would remain, the Triwizard Tournament.

"…Yes, Ms. Turpin?"

Lisa asked, "But why are they holding it again, Professor? I mean why reinstate the Tournament after all this time?"

"Professor Dumbledore is very keen on establishing relationships between different groups of people. The Tournament _is_ a competition but also an exchange, and a chance to reach understandings about each other."

Tamblin raised his hand. Flitwick nodded at him. He was tempted to stand, in imitation of Ernie, because he knew it would make Cascata smile but he didn't like the attention it would cause, and it might hurt Susan's feelings.

"Sir, will we be allowed to see and talk to the faculty from Durmstrang?"

"Certainly, certainly! Make no mistake, this is an opportunity which you simply must avail yourselves of. Talk to the students and faculty from the other schools. Learn about them, and teach them about Hogwarts. I'm very curious to inquire about their methods of making homunculi myself." Flitwick grinned, "Of course I rather expected the Beauxbaton students to be of more interest than the Durmstrang faculty to most of you."

The hour was reached before he could explain this statement and the students started reluctantly filing out of the classroom.


	8. Chapter 8

"What was that about," Cascata asked as they left.

"My question or elbowing you so you snorted in front of everybody?"

"The question, doxy-brain."

"I'm just looking forward to talking to the Durmstrang people. Some of them might have known my father. I told you he went to school there."

"I know."

There was something rather off in her voice, like the playfulness of the moment had been lost.

"What's wrong," Tamblin asked.

"Nothing."

"You heard what Flitwick said; we're supposed to be establishing relationships."

"There are all kinds of different relationships, Tamblin."

He got the sudden impression they were having two very different conversations.

They came to an intersection of hallways.

"I'll see you later in Transfiguration," She said. She smiled but there was something else in it. Nothing bad, just different.

Tamblin watched her go. Sighing he headed towards the hated Herbology greenhouses.


	9. Chapter 9

Two hours later Tamblin was prying dirt from under his nails. Herbology was depressingly unchanged from the filthy work it had been the last three years. It was the only class he'd never managed to stop skipping out of regularly. But there was Nott. Nott, too, was much as he had been- intriguing, difficult, and dangerous. Tamblin felt a certain sense of kinship with Nott due to their temperaments and similar station and he was sure Nott reciprocated. But neither thought of the other as a friend so much as a peer.

He stood just outside the greenhouses when Nott emerged. Nott cocked his head at Tamblin as if the two had not moments earlier been sitting side by side dealing with bubotuber roots.

"Walk with me a moment, Demosthene?"

"Certainly, Nott."

Nott led off in a direction toward nothing in particular, but away from any other students.

"Fascinating lesson that," Nott said.

"Yes, I find Herbology ever so rewarding."

"I suppose there is some hidden importance to it, even if the teacher cannot tell us directly."

Tamblin's eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps you are right."

Nott stopped walking and faced Tamblin.

"Have you kept up on current events?"

"The World Cup?"

"Yes. Quite the spectacle that. How do you suppose they circumvented Ministry security so neatly," Nott asked casually.

Tamblin stopped to consider the matter from the direction of Nott's inquiry.

"The most obvious answer is that they have a spy within the Ministry who leaks them information."

Nott nodded as if he hadn't considered this.

"Indeed… a spy? Do you think they only leaked the World Cup security details?"

Tamblin spoke slowly as his mind worked through the implications.

"Probably not. The spy would have raided as much information as possible before the World Cup since that is when they were the most likely to be found out."

"Then, you think the Death Eaters might know _everything_ the Ministry does?"

"What do you know, Nott?"

"As always, less than I'd wish and more than I could say. Good day to you, Demosthene, and… good health."


	10. Chapter 10

For the first time Tamblin found himself really disliking Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. The subject matter he found interesting as always, though not as interesting as the more pure theory of the Charms and Transfiguration classes. It was the presence of that _eye_ that made the time nearly unbearable. If the man was not so notoriously paranoid Tamblin would be tempted to steal the damn thing and throw it in the lake. Unfortunately the rumors among both students and faculty had it that to so much as tap Moody on the shoulder by surprise was a sure way to get a trip to St. Mungo's Hospital. It was possible the Ministry had insisted Moody wear the eye just so such accidents could be minimized.

And, as if trying to confirm Tamblin's suspicions about his real motive for teaching at the school, Moody called on him frequently for answers and demonstrations. The ministry evidently wanted to make sure he was a capable tool.

The class was rapidly becoming one of his least favorite subjects. Herbology was still worse, but Potions was a tossup.


	11. Chapter 11

They waited four weeks before having their first Saturday study session. Cascata organized it, as always, and they met in the same disused classroom that they had for the last three years. Things were slightly complicated by the scheduling differences. The students were now picking elective courses so not everyone had all the same classes. Cascata had decided to take Divination and had convinced Hannah and Susan to join her. Tamblin had continued with private studies on memory magics. Despite the incident the previous year, Dumbledore had felt that only having a little training in the field was more dangerous than continuing on. Mostly he read on his own but once a week he met with Flitwick who monitored his progress and suggested further lines of study and investigation. The subject was rather interesting and he felt like he was doing well. Flitwick seemed to agree. Divination however was proving somewhat less popular with the Hufflepuff girls.

"…a total fraud," Susan said.

"You have to admit, Cassie, the woman does seem a bit off her rocker," Hannah added.

"You should have heard what she said to Ernie." Ernie was in fact sitting right next to Susan and started to open his mouth to speak but Susan just kept going. "She said he was going to get a head ache around Christmas according to his fate line. According to his birth sign, though, he's going to be decapitated by a wild goblin on Halloween."

"I was a bit upset about that actually…" Ernie started.

Tamblin was watching the back and forth over the top of his book. Cascata leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. Her shin came into contact with Tamblin's calf but neither moved to pull away.

"She's not that bad, guys. You'll see. I think we'll learn some really… kinda… useful… stuff. We all liked Astronomy class, and this is a… little… similar."

Hannah smiled, "Actually you liked Astronomy class because Professor Sinistra dotes on you, Cassie. You were her star pupil."

"That's not true," Cascata said and looked toward Tamblin for support.

Tamblin carefully put the book aside.

"Well, she did tend to go on and on about how good you were at Astronomy, and you sharing a name with a star, and how if she had a daughter she'd want her to be just like you."

Hannah had been nodding along earnestly and then stopped and frowned.

"Well not so much that last one, but yeah she loved you. Not that I minded Astronomy. It was fun to stay up late."

Ernie started to say, "I liked Astrono…" but was cut off by Susan again.

"Anyway Astronomy is not the point. Sure we like Astronomy but Trelawney is nuts. I mean certifiable."

Cascata leaned forward and looked pained, but she still had her leg touching Tamblin's leg.

"Don't say that," she said in a pleading tone of voice.

"Why not? It's the truth isn't it," Susan asked.

Cascata sort of winced.

"She's my aunt."

Silence.

"I wanted to tell you but everyone thinks she's a kook. We've never been really close. I only met her a couple times growing up. We've gotten together a few times to talk since I started here and she's always raved about how nice it'll be to have me in her classes. I can't disappoint her by not taking it."

The thing she left unstated didn't have to be; kooky though she may be this woman was the only family Cascata really had left.

"That's nice Cas…" Ernie started.

"Your Aunt?" Susan blurted. "You don't look anything alike."

"I know. I take after my dad's side of the family. Actually mom didn't look much like her either. She's my mom's older sister. I think they were separated by several years. I don't think they were ever all that close. But she was _really_ nice after my mom died, other than saying over and over how she knew it was coming. I had to take her class. And I kind of… a little… wanted you guys there because I was pretty sure it would be… terrible. Don't hate me."

Susan sort of slumped in her seat.

"Well you could have just told us that instead of letting me be a jerk about things."

Cascata smiled, "But you are such a cute jerk."

"Hear, hear," Ernie said and then turned bright red when everybody stared at him.

Susan elbowed him in the ribs and shook her head but she was blushing too.

They all started to study again when Cascata sighed.

"I wish they hadn't canceled Quidditch this year. I thought I'd have a real shot at the team. Everyone was talking about how the team beat Gryffindor last year. I… didn't see the match… for some reason…." Her eyes got a glassiness to them.

Tamblin and Susan and Hannah exchanged looks. Tamblin felt the guilt of their conspiracy against Cascata settle heavily just behind his stomach.

"… I would have liked to have seen that… Oh well. Anyway if we did it last year we can do it again. Except they aren't having Quidditch this year." Cascata got a shifty suspicious look. "Dumbledore used to be a Gryffindor didn't he? Maybe he cooked up the whole Triwizard Tournament to protect his pet team from losing?"

Even sweet Hannah looked dubiously toward Cascata.

"I'm just saying it could happen, okay?"

Susan leaned forward over her desk. Tamblin was startled by how much that did to make her suddenly much more interesting. What's more he noticed that Ernie noticed it too.

"… right Tamblin?"

"Huh? Sorry. Mind was wandering."

"I said, 'she just needs something to take her mind off of Quidditch, _right Tamblin?_ '"

Tamblin got the message. Susan was pushing him to take the matters they had discussed previously a step further. At the moment, though, he was still a bit distracted and there was no way he was going to discuss any such matters with Cascata in front of Susan and Hannah, much less Ernie.

"Yeah, that sounds like a… like a fine idea. Maybe you could try a hobby?"

Cascata and Hannah just looked confused. Susan looked annoyed and Ernie hadn't stopped appreciating Susan's profile. Tamblin slowly raised his book back up until it shielded him from their gazes.


	12. Chapter 12

Tamblin tried to keep up his custom of playing chess with Nott every week or two. Usually now, though, Callista sat nearby and watched. Last year Nott had been teaching her the game and he innocently claimed her knowledge of it would be served by watching the two of them play. Tamblin found her presence a significant distraction. Nott's intentions toward Cascata's sister were a concern for him. She was young and impressionable and already given over to an irrational dislike for Cascata. What twisted edifice Nott could build on that foundation worried Tamblin. Nott was not a person he wished to hand a weapon.

In general they were well matched in chess. Nott tended to win more games though because he was better able to keep his concentration. Tamblin grew too distracted. Surely that was part of the reason Callista was invited to watch, but only part. Tamblin doubted that Nott did anything without at least two motivations. Despite the distraction Tamblin was managing a fairly strong offense on Nott's queenside when Susan walked up looking quite nice in a white t-shirt and jeans.

"Tamblin," she said.

Tamblin looked up at her.

"Professor Moody asked me to tell you he'd like to talk to you."

Tamblin sneered slightly.

"It didn't sound like you were in trouble."

"I bet not."

Tamblin looked across the board. Nott was staring at Susan. For a moment Tamblin was tempted to ask Susan to sit by so as to distract Nott from his own game but he knew he'd be just as affected. Meanwhile Callista was fiercely interested in anything that wasn't Susan. Tamblin looked back at Susan. She seemed to be feeling a bit awkward and unsure of the situation.

"Okay, thanks, Susan. I'll go see him in a minute."

She waved and left. Nott watched her go then turned to look at Tamblin.

"I like her, she seems… smart."

Callista looked very unhappy. Tamblin put down the bag for his chess pieces and they dutifully marched into it.


	13. Chapter 13

"Demosthene," Moody barked from within as Tamblin approached the door to his office.

Tamblin opened the door. Moody stood with his wand out in front of a misty faced mirror. Tamblin glanced at the wand.

"Am I in trouble here, Professor?"

That electric blue eye rotated around to look behind Moody. He straightened a little and slipped the wand into a pocket.

"Not since you seem to be who you seem to be. What have I been saying about vigilance?"

"That it must be consistent?"

"Constant!"

"Was that what you wanted to see me about?"

"Course not. What do you know about dueling?"

Tamblin blinked.

"Dueling? Uh… Lockhart showed us the basics in second year."

Moody grimaced.

"Worse than I thought. Well you'll learn bloody fast enough now."

Moody took the wand back out of his pocket.

"Sir?"

A bolt of red light flew from Moody's wand and struck the wall just next to Tamblin.

"What are you doing, boy? Where's your wand? Do you plan to talk your way out of a fight?"

"Sir, do you think your office is a good place-"

Tamblin threw himself behind a chair as another red bolt flew.

"You don't choose the place to duel, boy! It finds you, and you better be ready."

Tamblin thought quickly. Had moody simply snapped? Was this another test to see how useful a tool he'd be to the ministry? He slipped the thick bloodwand from his robe pocket.

"About time, boy! Now stand up and let's do this proper."

Tamblin was still behind the chair but that eye was seeing him right though it. He stood up, wand held at the ready.

Moody was smiling and looking completely mental. He bowed slowly to Tamblin. Tamblin returned it. Neither took their eyes off the other.

"Expelliarmus," Tamblin shouted.

Moody blocked the spell.

"You'd best learn to incant silently," Moody snarled, "or your opponent will always be two steps ahead of you."

His wand flicked and a further red bolt flew. It missed and Tamblin wondered if it weren't on purpose. Surely Mad Eye had better aim. Why was he toying with Tamblin?

Moody flicked his wand again but no red bolt this time. Instead Tamblin felt his throat stiffen. He could make no sound.

"See what I mean, Mr. Demosthene?" Moody advanced on him menacingly. "Your opponent may not choose to play fair."

Moody was standing over Tamblin now. A strange play of emotions swept his face. Pleasure and suspicion mainly, but also contempt and disappointment. And then pain as Tamblin swung the heavy bloodwand into Moody's wand hand as hard as he could.

Moody yelled in pain and cradled his right hand in his left. Once the shock passed he laughed thinly.

"Obviously you've taken the lesson to heart. A good move that. I do believe you broke my thumb. Small price to pay in the name of education, eh?"

Tamblin's voice was coming back. He wheezed a question while watching Mad Eye carefully.

"Did you find out what you wanted to know?"

Moody grinned his damaged lopsided grin.

"Aye. That I did."

Tamblin didn't turn his back on Mad Eye as he left the room. It would seem to have been a test of some sort but to what end he wasn't sure. Moody's attitude toward Tamblin seemed neither worse nor better in his next DADA class.


	14. Chapter 14

Tamblin hadn't meant to blurt out to Susan that he had been thinking about his relationship with Cascata and how it might change. The matter had been on his mind quite a lot it seemed lately. He had actually meant to talk to Hannah about it. She was less likely to be pushy about the outcome she thought best. On the other hand Susan clearly had some experience now with these matters. Tamblin really wasn't sure about whether Hannah did. It seemed like there was a point where she was interested in Justin Finch-Fletchley, but since neither Cascata nor Susan had made an effort to fix them up together in some time he assumed that was passed.

Of course he could still discuss the matter with Hannah. Just because Susan knew didn't preclude him discussing it with her. And if Susan could talk to Hannah about it she might be less pushy toward Tamblin.

The awkward part would be getting Hannah alone.


	15. Chapter 15

His first opportunity to talk to Hannah came up in mid October. She was having trouble with some of the summoning charms and asked Tamblin to help her work on them. Cascata on the other hand didn't need any help with them at all and instead was meeting with Trelawney. Tamblin thought Cascata might be better at the charm than he was but wasn't going to spoil the opportunity by giving her an excuse to ditch her aunt.

Instead he met Hannah at the Hufflepuff common room exit and walked with her to the usual study area. Along the way they discussed the summoning charm and various gossip and rumors regarding the tournament. Hannah seemed in very good mood and grinned even more readily than usual. Once they reached the disused classroom Tamblin checked the hall and then closed the door.

Hannah looked puzzled. Generally they left the door open when studying in case others were joining them.

"Hannah, I'm happy to help you with the charms work but I wanted to talk to you about something else now."

"Oh. Okay, sure Tamblin. What's up?"

Tamblin sat down and tried to figure out what to say. He was anxious. Enough so that Hannah could detect it

"What's the matter, Tamblin?"

"I'm trying to decide on a course of action, and I need to understand the matter better."

"Um, okay."

"I'm… considering… talking to Cascata about being… boyfriend-girlfriend."

Hannah tilted her head and made an "awww" sound.

"But I'm not sure. What do you think?"

"You should. You totally should."

"Susan said precisely the same thing."

"You told Susan? And she didn't tell me? I can't believe it."

"I swore her not to tell anyone. But I didn't mean to tell her, it kind of slipped out. I would have rather saved it to discuss with you."

Hannah's eyes went wide.

"Really?"

"Yes. Although I think you both might have valuable insights. Have you had any boyfriends?"

She laughed.

"You'd have known if I had, Tamblin. I couldn't keep something like that a secret."

"Have you thought about it?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure."

"With whom?"

Hannah looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Well, you know, different guys at different times. Uh, why?"

"I'm just trying to understand the process."

"Process?"

"Yes. How this works. Once I understand how it works then I'll be able to figure out if it is a good idea."

"Tamblin, I don't know quite how to put this, but that's really stupid."

"Huh?"

"There's a reason we don't have a class on love. It isn't a process. You don't think it through."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Well what do you feel?"

"What does that have to do with it?"

Hannah gave him that look. It was a look he'd gotten a lot from the girls over the years. It seemed to mean "that's not the right answer."

"I feel- conflicted."

Hannah cocked her head again. Her blond hair fell in waves. The effect was hypnotic.

"Conflicted about what?"

Tamblin snapped out of the reverie.

"About this… stuff. I like Cascata. Immensely. But we've never been more than friends. What if doing… something else… isn't nearly so good? Can you just undo it? What if she doesn't want anything else? The idea of even mentioning it is pretty intimidating."

Tamblin stopped and thought.

"But it seems like she's interested. We've been very close friends and I've gotten the impression she might, you know… like… something else. Something more. But what if I was wrong? And it's not like my friendship has been all that great for her. Look at all the terrible things she's suffered. Would it be worse if we were a…couple?"

Hannah just looked at him expectantly.

"Recently it seems like things have changed. Like some small but fundamental shift occurred. There is a slight tension between us. It's kind of nice."

He laughed and so did Hannah.

"I think it's there because we feel like something more should be happening. Why do I have to be the one to ask? I guess she's just as uncertain as I am."

"Probably more so given how hard you are to read, Tamblin. I actually thought… never mind."

"What?"

"Oh, I kind of thought the other day that maybe you liked Susan."

An image of Susan leapt into his thoughts. It was not as dignified an image as it probably should have been. Tamblin shook his head to clear it.

"Oh, I know that now. I just mean that you are a really hard person for people to get a sense of what you are thinking and feeling."

"Susan has her charms but I don't see us as more than friends."

Hannah snorted.

"Yeah she has 'charms.' Seems a lot of guys have noticed those recently."

Tamblin reached out and stroked Hannah's face.

"You have a great many charms too, Hannah."

She leaned her face into his hand.

"Thanks."

She stayed like that for a moment and then stepped closer to hug Tamblin.

"I think you two would make a really good couple. And you're both pretty damn lucky."

When she stepped back she had tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just kind of sad, you know. You and Cascata. Susan and Ernie. And me by myself."

Tamblin pulled her back into the hug. He'd had hugs from all three girls a number of times over the years, they were fairly touchy-feely people and prone to express their emotions openly. This felt different though. Closer and warmer somehow, like Hannah was just melting against him. It was nice but didn't help his confusion. They stayed that way for some time and then Hannah pulled away.

"I better go back to the common room," she said, her voice oddly hoarse.

"You've become a good listener. Thank you."

She nodded curtly and left.


	16. Chapter 16

As Halloween approached the low hum of tension among the students got stronger. No one knew precisely what was going to happen but everyone seemed sure that it, whatever it was, was coming soon. Speculation about the tournament, the contenders, the prize, the tasks, and, of course, the other schools was rampant and irrepressible. Even Tamblin felt pulled along by it a bit. Normally he stayed thoroughly aloof of the various fads that swept the school but he too had cause in this case to look forward to the arrival of the Durmstrang delegation.

It might be a nice distraction from the other complications of his life, for one thing. Hannah had now joined Susan in setting up "perfect" circumstances for Tamblin to ask Cascata, but neither seemed to realize that Tamblin had no intention of asking anything while they were standing by watching. Moody continued to call on Tamblin disproportionately. Tamblin was finding it harder and harder to maintain the pretense of not knowing he was a ministry plant. Nott meanwhile had been rather distant. Difficult and dangerous as he was, Nott was also the closest thing Tamblin had had to a male friend. To make matters worse Susan had started dropping less than subtle hints that her friends should do more things with her boyfriend. It was worth the lecture to see the way she actually blushed a little when she said the word. Tamblin had nothing against Ernie, or at least nothing major. How Cascata could possibly compare the two of them was a total mystery to Tamblin. Ernie was a stuffed shirt. Tamblin was refined. Ernie seemed to make Susan fairly happy and that was good, but Tamblin didn't have anything in common with him. Cascata, too, had had trouble humoring Susan but Hannah had started trying to show an interest in Ernie's hobbies.

His classes were going well. Herbology was of course the exception. DADA was a delicate balancing act. He didn't want to do either too well or too badly. Too well and the ministry would be more interested in him. Too badly and he'd be compelled to meet with moody to get harangued. The individual lessons with Professor Flitwick were going quite well and the professor had started to hint that Tamblin should consider applying to become an Obliviator, one of the ministry memory modifiers. Tamblin just hoped Flitwick didn't share that sentiment with Professor Moody.

The best news was that his ability seemed firmly under control. He was spending ample time with Cascata and there seemed to be no indications his mother had managed to catch her eye again. The original reason for studying memory magics had been in relationship to his power. Since the power clouded memories as well as senses Tamblin had theorized that an understanding of memory magics might help him understand and control his own ability better.

It did seem to be working but not as he would have liked. Rather than gaining mastery through an intellectual understanding, the whole process seemed to happen on some subconscious level. Without understanding it, he would find that he was able to more precisely tune his power and control how withdrawn he wanted to be. He could withdraw just a tad so that he was simply unremarkable, or withdraw completely so that he was virtually invisible, or some in-between amount. The extra control was certainly welcome but the fact that it came with no cerebral aspect to it worried him. Things he couldn't work out mentally were hard for him to trust. What if it stopped working? Or became uncontrollable? There were others like him in the world. They would be the ideal source of information of course, but finding them was a daunting project.

Then too was Nott's warning. Too many factions knew about his ability and seemed likely to want it only for themselves. Probably many would rather see him dead than to have his ability fall to the other side.

The approach of Halloween and the simple excitement of the approaching tournament was a much needed diversion.


	17. Chapter 17

That Monday a note went up saying that the delegations from Dumstrang and Beauxbaton would be arriving at the end of the week. The castle was getting cleaned and decorated with fervor. Phausto made many indignant comments about having to do touchups on paintings during the nights to repair the damage caused by overly vigorous scrubbing. The original Phausto Philena had died many centuries before but his self portrait hung in the Artiste's Alcove and the painted Phausto created and maintained the various canvases around the castle. Once a canvas was coated with Animuserum he was able to literally walk into it and paint the canvas around himself. Part of his price for letting Tamblin and Cascata use the painting studio in the Artiste's Alcove was that they brew and apply Animuserum to a stack of canvases.

There were four paintings in the Alcove and Phausto had indicated that each had a room dedicated to the depicted art form behind it. The four were the painter Phausto, the Mersene Chorus, the Mad Poet, and the Dancing Girl. The Alcove had been integral to Tamblin's first meeting with Cascata and it remained a special place for them. Even Hannah and Susan didn't know about it.

Tamblin had taken to spending more time in the Artiste's Alcove to get away from his concerns. It worked for all but one. Cascata seemed to sense when he was there and show up shortly afterward. Not that he minded really. Being together without the others around was a lot nicer, but every time he started to say something he got the distinct impression she was waiting expectantly. It was probably his imagination.


	18. Chapter 18

Friday swung by and the students were pulled out of classes early to get ready for the arrival. They went to their dorms to drop off their books and do any last minute primping and then headed out to the front grounds. There they were lined up by house and the heads of the houses began fussing over their charges. A palatable nervousness on the part of the faculty was obvious but almost drowned out by the keener longing of the students. Tamblin couldn't see any of the girls from where he was. He stood facing this moment alone with a not unpleasant tingling of anticipation.

When it finally became noticeable the students shouted and pointed. It was just a dot on the distance but the students began calling out guesses as to its identity. They didn't have long to speculate as the object flew extremely fast. Soon it was clear that it was a carriage being pulled through the air by giant winged horses, each large enough to carry half a dozen people on it's back. The carriage descended and landed heavily, too close to the students for comfort.

From the carriage came a gigantic woman. She towered over everyone present. Behind her came a dozen students in thin blue robes and of typical proportions. The massive women stepped forward to greet Dumbledore while her students huddled in her shadow. As they approached Tamblin felt a strange chill. It was somewhat similar to the feeling when Moody's eye stared at him, and Tamblin looked quickly around to see if the Professor was watching him, but Moody was nowhere to be seen. The sensation was vague and almost taunting for him.

Tamblin easily started to withdraw. The stillness came without effort. The world lost contrast, the colors muting slightly. Except for one of the Beauxbaton students. She stayed in crisp color. If anything she took on a slight luminescence. She was evidently the source of his disquiet because as the Beauxbaton students passed into the castle the feeling faded. After the Beauxbaton delegation disappeared everyone stared around for the Durmstrangs. The massive carriage, massive horses, and massive Beauxbaton headmistress had served as quite a show for the students and they eagerly awaited what new surprises the night might hold.

Minutes dragged on. Someone shouted and pointed at the lake. A strangely worn looking ship was _rising_ out of the lake. Its mast came up first like a skeletal finger coming up from the deep. The ship bobbed to the surface and floated toward the bank without any apparent crew on deck. At the shore it dropped anchor and a gang plank.

Tamblin was disappointed to see that the Durmstrang delegation was no larger than the Beauxbaton had been. He'd hoped for several faculty that he might speak with but there appeared to be only one adult. The man had long features and silver hair, kept long in the back and trimmed in a goatee on his chin. He too greeted Dumbledore and Tamblin listen to the voice. He was clearly more fluent in English than the Beauxbaton Headmistress but he still betrayed hints of a Russian accent.

Tamblin watched the Durmstrang teacher closely, weighing what he could observe of the man. Dumbledore called him "Karkaroff." Karkaroff passed an entirely cursory glance over the assembled Hogwarts students, more than Madame Maxine had, and looked over the castle with more interest. Mostly however his attention was divided between Dumbledore and one of his own students. He hustled that student forward and a small gasp spread through the Hogwarts students though Tamblin couldn't see the reason.

As the Durmstrang students passed into the castle the Hogwarts students turned to follow. Tamblin threaded through the crowd with no thought but to get close to the Durmstrang headmaster. He was still withdrawn slightly and swam through the throngs of students without notice. The sheer mass of them hampered his movements though. He might be able to move invisibly, but not intangibly. When he reached the Great Hall he was frustrated to see that the Durmstrangs were sitting with the Slytherins while the Beauxbatons had joined his own table. As he looked at the Beauxbaton students he noticed anew the vivid sharpness of that girl. He had forgotten that he was withdrawn. Chastising himself he made himself fully visible, subtly so as not to startle anyone. As he moved to find a seat at the Ravenclaw table he saw Nott with two Beauxbaton students gesture toward him.

Nott was leading the two who looked to be twins. They had fair hair and such delicate features that Tamblin couldn't be sure whether they were boys or girls. The features were strikingly pretty in their androgyny. Nott brought them straight over to Tamblin.

"Demosthene, may I present the Giovannis; Celestine and Celestia."

The names were familiar to Tamblin. They were scions of a powerful family. Brother and sister, although even face to face Tamblin couldn't distinguish them but by how Nott had named them: Celestia was the sister and Celestine her brother.

Celestia held out her hand.

"Ah, Demosthene. We've not previously had the pleasure." Her English was perfect as far as accent but had the slight stiffness that suggested it wasn't her native tongue.

Tamblin took the proffered hand and kissed it.

Celestine held forth his hand for Tamblin to shake. Each twin's hand felt precisely the same.

"I am honored to be of interest to the members of Europe's most well bred family."

The twins smiled the cold polite smile of sharks sizing up other sharks. Tamblin and Nott smiled back.


	19. Chapter 19

Dumbledore made a few perfunctory remarks before the feast. Tamblin found himself flanked by the Giovanni twins. He'd already lost track of which was which. Through the dinner and dessert course they maintained a polite but constant stream of discussion about everything from the nature of Hogwarts to Tamblin's personal history to the quality of the dishes.

Once the dinner was over they, like the rest of the students, gave their full attention to the discussion of the Tournament to come. Dumbledore revealed the Goblet of Fire. The artifact fascinated Tamblin. Though unassuming in form it was clearly a very powerful object. He could feel the energy that the wooden cup filled with bluish flames gave off. But why would such a powerful item have been made to select contestants in a mere game? The rules Dumbledore laid out were of no interest to Tamblin. He had no intention of competing and was not of age anyway.

As the feast finished the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students followed their headmaster and headmistress respectively back to their conveyances. The Hogwarts students likewise separated to their various common rooms.


	20. Chapter 20

Tamblin slipped silently down the stairs. It was well past midnight and he was making his way to the entrance hall. There in the middle of the hall was the sorting hat stool with the Goblet of Fire set upon it. Around the goblet a golden line drawn in a circle pulsed slightly. Dumbledore had mentioned an age line that would prevent those under seventeen from entering the contest. Tamblin walked up to the boundary of the age line. He looked closely at the circle. There was nothing obvious about it to give a clue to its function. Tamblin began to slowly withdraw. As the world gradually lost color the line remained firm and bright. He went further and the line flickered between gold and grey. Further and Tamblin was as far gone as he ever had been without losing control. The line was grey now like the rest of the world. It showed no flicker of the gold it had been originally.

Tamblin stepped forward slowly. It was hard to move while this withdrawn without breaking the stillness. He thought he could feel the vaguest resistance from the line as he crossed it. Slowly he moved the few feet to the Goblet. The emanations of power from it were quite potent this near. Tamblin examined the Goblet at close range. The cup itself was just as roughly hewn up close. There was nothing remarkable about the form of the cup at all. Yet there was an undeniable power to it, crudely made as it seemed to be. The cup itself, and the flames within it, remained in crisp color amid the colorless world.

Tamblin slowly stepped back out of the circle and came back to the world. Staying that far withdrawn and coming back without incident would have been hard or impossible for him before. He felt a flush of accomplishment. His power didn't seem to be getting stronger as fast as it had the last couple years, but his control was developing substantially. He was developing finesse.

Tamblin looked at the age line, once again in bright shining gold. He smiled contemptuously at the barrier.


	21. Chapter 21

In the morning as he went down to breakfast he found a large crowd of students in the entrance hall watching the cup and those who were entering their names in the contest. A small commotion was just breaking up as he approached and he saw the Weasley twins walking away from the hall, each sporting a long white beard. The twins however seemed to be quite amused so Tamblin assumed it was some prank of theirs. Professor Dumbledore stood nearby.

"Ah, Mr. Demosthene. May I speak with you a moment?"

"Certainly, Headmaster."

Dumbledore walked slowly over to a quieter corner of the entrance hall and Tamblin padded along behind.

"Were you able to cross the age line?"

Tamblin looked at the floor.

"How did you know I would try?"

"Sometimes knowing a person is a powerful magic of its own. I have a sense of how your mind works, and this was a challenge for your abilities. Since you do not have a nice beard I assume you were successful?"

"Yes, Headmaster. I was able to cross the line without incident. Did you make it so I could?"

Dumbledore shook his head.

"I made the line as secure as the situation allowed me to. You may soon be able to walk straight through any ward and protection devised by wizardkind. How does that make you feel?"

Tamblin smiled.

"Proud. Powerful in a way. Free. A little scared."

Dumbldore smiled paternally.

"I'm glad to hear that last one, Tamblin. Power should always scare us a bit, so that we do not become too comfortable in its application." The smile faded. "Did you enter yourself into the contest?"

Tamblin shook his head.

Dumbledore was watching him closely.

"Did you enter anyone else?"

Again Tamblin shook his head.

"I hope that is so. The tasks are not meant for someone your age, even someone with your abilities."

"Professor, you are aware of my family situation. I hardly need the thousand Galleons."

"Of course. But there is also the recognition and prestige. Those weigh more than gold with many."

"If anything there are already too many too interested in me," Tamblin said bitterly.

"What do you mean by that, Tamblin?"

Tamblin paused a moment to wonder at how much he could say to Dumbledore. In many respects the Ministry was a tool of his. He occupied the chief seat on the Wizengamot and was master of the school through which the local witches and wizards were trained. Between the two positions he was ideally suited to select those who would be useful to him and to punish those who would defy him. Furthermore Dumbledore was the one who had told the Ministry about Tamblin's abilities in the first pace. Without his intervention the issue might never have occurred. And lastly the man clearly had an agenda but what precisely that agenda consisted of, beside the maintenance of his personal power, was obscure.

Tamblin didn't trust people with agendas. To that kind he was merely a source of money and influence. They would want to use his family with no respect for its traditions and ways.

Tamblin shook his head by way of answering Professor Dumbledore. The Headmaster didn't press the issue and Tamblin went to breakfast.


	22. Chapter 22

After he'd finished his sparse meal he returned to the entrance hall. There he saw Cascata and Hannah among a cluster of Hufflepuffs. He waved but headed out the front doors of the Castle rather than join them in gossip about who had and who hadn't been brave enough to put their name in the Goblet of Fire.

He walked out onto the grounds. The day was overcast but an abundance of bird calls made it seem more like spring than autumn. The Durmstrang ship rested at the edge of the lake where it had anchored last night. Tamblin headed for it.

The gangplank was still down but an unhappy looking student wearing the heavy robes of the school uniform was standing near the top of it on apparent guard duty. As Tamblin approached he called a greeting. The student didn't reply except to frown. Tamblin approached until he was standing just before where the gangplank touched down. He would not step aboard without permission.

"I wish to speak with Professor Karkaroff, if I may. There is a matter I would like to bring to his attention."

The student frowned even more and said something loudly in Romanian. Vlora had often used Romanian when Tamblin was younger but he was out of the habit and never truly fluent so he couldn't follow the words. A girl came up on deck and the boy at the top of the plank motioned for Tamblin to come up.

At the top of the ramp the two Durmstrang students had a quick clipped discussion and the girl looked at Tamblin.

"Follow me," she said in a thick accent.

She too wore the thick robes of the school uniform and Tamblin briefly wondered what she looked like beneath all those furs. Was she pretty? He shook his head at the irrelevant distraction.

She led him below decks and it soon became clear that the ship was significantly bigger on the inside than out. Tamblin had expected as much. The ship was of a decent size but to carry a dozen passengers in accommodations that would be livable for a year would require a lot more room. She led him from the top deck down three flights of stairs. It was cold in here, he saw condensation had formed on all exposed metal, and he began to feel a little jealous of her warm costume.

At the third floor down she led out through a narrow wooden passage way. Two people would have had a very hard time squeezing by each other. At the end of this passage she knocked on a door and a voice called back. She opened the door and led Tamblin in.

The cabin was made of dark weathered wood like the rest of the ship. It had three hanging lamps that cast a dim light over the room. A fourth lamp hung from the ceiling was mysteriously not lit. Karkaroff sat behind a desk that appeared to be neatly arranged and then covered with a light scattering of papers, as if the owner wished to be orderly but couldn't quite keep up the habit. On the wall behind him was a large astronomy chart in which the stars slowly shifted position and every so often a constellation of stars would be overlaid with an image of what the constellation supposedly represented. There was a porthole on the right wall, the only window Tamblin had seen in the ship, but it looked out at a deep blackness.

Karkaroff himself sat somewhat stooped in a largish chair. The chair was toped with a carving of a Griffon standing. Karkaroffs silver hair matched the silver furs of his coat giving him the appearance of a very civilized yeti come down out of the mountains to do a bit of office work. He frowned at Tamblin and looked at the Durmstrang girl. She spoke quickly in Romanian. Karkaroff nodded and the girl stepped out of the cabin and closed the door.

"Yes? What news is it you bring to me?"

"There must have been a miscommunication. I have not been sent with a message for you, sir. Rather I told them I wished an audience to speak with you for my own purposes."

Karkaroff's frown deepend.

"Why have you come to disturb me? I have much to do."

"Of course, sir. I hoped you might have known my father. My name is Tamblin Demosthene."

It took barely a moment before Karkaroff's face lit up in surprise.

"Victhen's son? Ah, of course. I should have expected. You would be of an age, wouldn't you?"

"Er... yes, sir."

Karkaroff leaned back and appraised Tamblin carefully.

"Pardon my earlier brusqueness. I certainly can make some time for you."

"Thank you, sir. So you did know my father then?"

Karkaroff smiled, but it was not a look that suited his features.

"Knew him? He was like a brother. Yes, I knew him well. A pity you could not. But that is why you are here, yes? You want to see him through my eyes."

"Yes, sir."

Karkaroff nodded.

"Yes, I think it would be nice to talk of old times. Now, however, is inconvenient. We can speak later of the matter at length. You must be eager to see the selection of the champions. I imagine a good many Hogwarts students have entered."

"I'm not sure, sir. I haven't been paying much attention to the contest."

Karkaroff continued to smile but the light in his eyes died.

"You should. Watch the tournament. Why else hold it if not for the education of our students?"

Tamblin nodded but wasn't sure.

"Kostya!"

The door behind Tamblin opened again and the girl looked in.

"Tamblin, Kostya will guide you out. We will talk again later."

"Thank you, sir."

Tamblin followed Kostya's amorphous shape through the corridor and back up to the deck. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the exchange, but at least the man did seem to know his father.


	23. Chapter 23

"Where've you been," Cascata asked when Tamblin walked into the entrance hall.

There was still quite the crowd hanging around watching the Goblet closely as if some contender might sneak by them without the appropriate booing or cheering.

"I went out. Down to the Durmstrang ship."

She frowned.

"What on earth for?"

"I wanted to talk to Professor Karkaroff."

She made a face.

"I don't like him."

"He knew my father."

"Not all of your father's acquaintances are worth renewing."

Tamblin started to respond but bit his tongue instead.

Cascata tried to pull him over to where a group of Hufflepuffs were sitting but Tamblin pulled his arm away and just shook his head. He felt a strong desire to be alone and away from the throngs, and even away from Cascata. He turned and walked alone up the Grand Staircase.


	24. Chapter 24

The Ravenclaw common room was much quieter than usual for a Saturday. For the most part he just sat. He wasn't particularly thoughtful. He did feel a slight anticipation but it bordered more on tedium than excitement. Like his life was on the edge of a change that was not particularly desirable but simply waiting around for it to happen was worse.

Someone emerged from one of the dormitories and headed toward him through the bookshelves that cluttered the common room. He was surprised to see it was Lisa. He'd have guessed she'd be one of those who'd be discussing the tournament down below. She was wearing a sweater and jeans and he was struck by how nice she looked. When she saw him she leaned against a shelf and sort of smirked.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey."

"Didn't think anyone was going to be here. Thought I'd get some quiet time."

Tamblin nodded.

"I was thinking the same."

He looked at her and she looked back.

"Want to share?"

"Huh," he said.

"The quiet. Want to share it?"

"Sure."

"Scoot over."

The chair he was sitting in was quite broad and he moved over to one side. Lisa was able to squeeze in next to him. It required their sides to be quite tightly pressed against each other. Tamblin's arm was awkward and the best way he could find to keep it out of the way was to put it around Lisa's shoulder. She didn't say anything when he did that but didn't seem to mind.

Tamblin found his heart was beating quite hard. It seemed very loud to him and he wondered if Lisa would remark on it. She didn't. She just seemed to be just enjoying the stillness of the common room. After a time Tamblin relaxed and drifted into a sort of daze. The pleasant pressure of Lisa's body was not forgotten but receded into the back of his mind. They sat like that for a long time and the light through the windows reddened and dimmed.

Lisa stretched.

"Probably should head down to the feast."

"Yeah," Tamblin said.

She stood up and faced Tamblin and then bent over until her face was right next to his. She placed one hand on each arm of the chair and leaned forward. Her lips were on his and she was kissing him firmly. He was pushed back into the chair cushions and she pressed forward to follow for a moment. She continued to kiss him and then pulled back. Her eyes were closed and she inhaled deeply before opening them languidly.

"Thanks… for sharing."

Tamblin had trouble finding his voice.

"M-my pleasure."

She walked away toward the common room exit through the suit of armor. Tamblin watched her go with a certain intensity. His lips were tingling and his heart had resumed beating hard. His mind danced with chaos.


	25. Chapter 25

Tamblin seemed to be the very last Hogwarts student to arrive for the feast. He saw Lisa at the Ravenclaw table but she didn't seem to notice him. Looking over at the Hufflepuff table he could see Cascata wave at him tentatively. He wondered if he should feel guilty. Probably, he thought, although he wasn't exactly sure for what, maybe just for enjoying that moment upstairs.

He found a space at the Ravenclaw table and ate sparingly. He was feeling conflicted on too many levels to have much appetite. It seemed most of the students were more eager to get on with the selection of the champions, rather than eat. Tamblin saw the cup had been brought into the great hall and placed before the teacher's table. Throughout the meal he found his gaze wandering over to Lisa but she remained oblivious of him. What that meant he had no idea. Over the last few years he had had to resign himself to the knowledge that while he was smart and quite capable in a variety of scholastic capacities he did not have the knack for understanding people. They were too fidgety. They never seemed to fit into neat categories. It sort of annoyed him.

"I bet she's good at it, but you really shouldn't have kissed her."

Tamblin coughed on the pumpkin juice he had been drinking, spraying it everywhere. The speaker was a girl sitting next to Tamblin. He'd seen her around the Ravenclaw common room before but never spoken to her. She always looked rather stunned, like life was something she was utterly incapable of dealing with. She had the most atrocious taste in accessories. Currently she was wearing some sort of bangle that appeared to be made of a cord on which had been threaded a collection of various knick knacks, pieces popcorn, broken glass, and what looked like a squirrel skull. She had a set of earrings, one of which looked like a beaver and the other a cord of wood. When she turned her head fast enough the beaver was able to catch sight of the wood and would frantically wave its limbs trying to get to it. One side of her collar was inadvertently turned up while the other lay appropriately flat.

Tamblin hissed at her, "What do you mean?"

She spoke in a normal talking voice. Fortunately everybody else seemed to take for granted that she would just babble about things and paid her no mind.

"People get good at things when they do them a lot. Some get worse, though. Is she bad at kissing? I've never kissed her. I wonder if she'd get worse if she kissed me?"

"You saw it?"

The girl helped herself to some more potatoes.

"Sure. I see it a lot. But it's not what I'd expect. Why do you suppose she kisses the ones she can't have? Seems odd to me." She got a very thoughtful look on her face. "No, I wouldn't kiss someone just cause I couldn't, cause that would mean I could, so then I wouldn't have had a reason to kiss them in the first place. The whole thing is very strange. You kiss strange girls."

She stopped and looked at him very seriously.

"Don't get any ideas," she said and went back to her food.

Tamblin gaped at her. Somehow his day had managed to get even more bizarre.


	26. Chapter 26

Dumbledore was speaking but Tamblin paid no attention. The spacey girl (who had said nothing more to him since warning him against kissing her) had made a tiny bit of sense amongst her rambling. Lisa had seemed to be interested in him despite how distant he had always been toward her. Was it precisely that distance that she had liked? Would she now be uninterested? What if Cascata was the same?

Despite how very interesting the thing with Lisa had been he would much rather have that with Cascata. They just made sense together. He thought about the way Lisa had just kissed him. Why couldn't Cascata do that? It had been much easier to be kissed than to try and kiss someone. For a moment he marveled at Lisa's bravery. She had just done it and risked painful rejection. Maybe having had practice made it easier. That made a certain sense; if kissing badly wasn't a concern then you'd have one less worry, wouldn't you?

Tamblin sighed.

Hannah was right, he was over-thinking things. He needed to just let them happen instead of analyzing so much.

There was a bright red flash which distracted Tamblin from analyzing his tendency to over analyze. The flames from the Goblet of Fire had shot upward and changed from their normal blue to red momentarily. Borne on the flames was a piece of paper that Dumbledore caught and read aloud.

"The champion for Durmstrang… will be Viktor Krum."

The room broke out in loud applause and one of the Durmstrang students plodded up to the end of the hall and out through a door. Karkaroff was shouting praises. Tamblin considered the Durmstrang Headmaster. He was a valuable source of information to be sure, but he seemed treacherous.

The Goblet expelled another slip of parchment.

"The champion for Beauxbaton… is Fleur Delacour."

The Beauxbaton students were all seated at the head of the Ravenclaw table. One of their number stood up and headed toward the same door that Krum had left through. Tamblin thought it was the same one he'd noticed during the Beauxbaton arrival. He was tempted to withdraw a little so he could tell for sure but then he noticed that one of the Beauxbaton party was not wailing about being overlooked. Celestine, or maybe Celestia, was looking at him. The other twin seemed to be watching the Slytherin table. Their interest, at least, Tamblin was fairly confident he understood. Like Nott, they were his peers amongst his social class. They wanted to gauge him; his usefulness as an ally and his threat as an enemy.

Tamblin nodded toward the Giovanni twin and he, or she, smiled in return.

"The Hogwarts champion… is Cedric Diggory!"

The last syllable was lost as the entire Hufflepuff house began screaming, clapping, stomping, and, in a few cases, all three, as loudly as possible. The tall handsome Hufflepuff boy got up and followed his competitors through the door at the end of the hall. Tamblin looked over at Cascata but she was fixed on Diggory. All the Hufflepuffs were. Tamblin reflected that given the sense of inferiority and unfair treatment their house was stuck with, it was nice then they got to have the Hogwarts champion.

Dumbledore had just started to talk again when everybody stopped. The Goblet had turned red again and belched up one more piece of paper. Dumbledore, looking as surprised as everyone else, read this one too.

"Harry Potter."

Nobody seemed to know what to do. Across the teacher's table the faces were aghast, confused, concerned, or, in the case of Ludo Bagman from the ministry, smiling benignly. Amongst the students there was a similar range of emotion. Some seemed impressed that Potter had managed to enter despite the age restriction. The Hufflepuffs looked outraged that someone was stealing their thunder. The Potter boy himself stood up hesitantly and walked with a shocked expression up to Dumbledore and then off through the same door the first three contestants had left through. The droning of conversations filled the hall. As Dumbledore, Bagman, Crouch, McGonnogal, Moody, Snape, Maxime, and Karkaroff left through the door the discussions became much louder.

The remaining teachers at the table didn't seem to know what to do. Flitwick and Sprout conversed briefly. Flitwick stood up on top of the table and called for quiet without much success.

"Quie'h," Hagrid boomed.

The students all turned to look at the teachers table. Flitwick was standing just in front of where Hagrid sat and he looked a little the worse for wear for being so close when the big man yelled. His wispy hair had flown into disarray with much of it landing in his face and he took a moment to manage it before speaking.

"Thank you, Hagrid. Everyone! Please follow your House Prefects back to your common rooms. Beauxbaton students will please follow Madam Sprout who will lead you back to your carriage. Durmstrang students please follow me. I'm sure the details will all be sorted out in time for you to gossip about them at breakfast. Tut-tut, off you go now."

The students were very reluctant to go, but the Prefects began herding them toward the entrance hall. Tamblin looked for Cascata. She was deeply engrossed in discussion with her fellow Hufflepuffs. He saw Fletcher, one of the Ravenclaw prefects, leading the Ravenclaws out the door toward the Grand Staircase. Tamblin got up and followed before another Prefect could chide him for not moving fast enough.

Through the suit of armor and back in the Ravenclaw common room he found Lisa sitting in the same seat they had shared earlier. When she saw him looking she scooted over to one side and smiled. Tamblin went up to his dorm, his stomach sort of quivering.


	27. Chapter 27

Monday he met with Flitwick to discuss his independent studies. Flitwick had originally suggested meeting in his office but Tamblin found the place far too distracting with all the charmed objects moving around. Instead they met in the Ravenclaw common room. Flitwick, as the head of the house, of course had access to the common room. So they sat in some of the fairly beat up but quite comfortable chairs that were scattered amongst the bookshelves.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Tamblin?"

"I wanted to ask you an unrelated question."

Flitwick smiled. Curiosity was one of his very favorite traits.

"Of course, of course, my boy."

"I was wondering about the Goblet of Fire, sir. It seems odd to create such an artifact just to select a competitor for some… intramural athletics."

"Oh ho. No, no, my boy. The Goblet of Fire long predates the Triwizard Tournament. It even predates Hogwarts itself."

"What was it made for then, sir?"

"As I recall you've always done rather well in Professor Binn's History of Magic class."

"Thank you. I do find it interesting."

"There was a time when we lived among the muggles fairly openly. There were problems and we removed ourselves from their world and from their perception of the world as a whole. But this was long before the establishment of any Ministries of Magic. Instead the wizards tended to live under local governing councils. Determining membership in the councils was difficult enough but selecting the president of each council was a terrible mess. It nearly always involved duels and injuries if not deaths. These fights tended to create such a fuss that they quite reminded the muggles we were there, which sort of ruined the whole point. So a number of very clever wizards got together to come up with a better way. It was they who crafted the Goblet of Fire. Its purpose is to select the most appropriate candidate from a number of entrants."

"Interesting."

"Yes, quite a bit of charm work, that! Most impressive. It was made to be quite resistant to tampering, although of course throughout history a few wizards and witches have been resourceful enough to overcome any barrier put in their way."

"I don't understand what happened last night then. The Goblet didn't work as intended, right?"

Flitwick nodded.

"True, although the _way_ it didn't work wasn't a way most people would have tried to cheat the system back when it was created. Consider that the cup was asked to select a single champion or leader from among the students for each of three schools. Someone convinced it that it had to decide for _four_ schools and put poor Mr. Potter's name in as the only entrant from that fourth school. Such a trick wouldn't have been a problem for the cup's original purpose, because being appointed leader of a nonexistent council could hardly cause any harm now could it? Even so I imagine it took a significantly powerful bit of magic to trick the Goblet."

"So you don't think he put his own name in?"

"Good gracious, no. No fourth year could have pulled that off."

"So is he going to be disqualified?"

Flitwick shook his head.

"That isn't an option here."

"Why not, Professor?"

"The Goblet's selection is a binding magical contract. Breaking it would be unwise."

"What would it do?"

"The person would lose all ability to use magic. Permanently. They would be a muggle for the rest of their lives. Mr. Potter will just have to compete. Anyway, enough of this somber topic. I have an assignment for you."

"Yes, Professor."

"You have read about Memenographs?"

Tamblin closed his eyes. He could see the word on the page.

"Yes, sir. They were… primitive constructed memories. A static moment. Sometimes used as a form of artwork. The magic involved was the precursor to more advanced later works like the pensieve."

Flitwick clapped his hands excitedly.

"Very good. Very good. You have real potential as a scholar of magic, my boy. Anyway, your assignment is to make a Memenograph. I want you to make it as realistic as possible. It will take you some time, so the project won't be due until the end of the year."

"What should I make it of?"

"Anything you like, Tamblin. You'll find memory magic involves a great deal of artistry to master. Might as well start working on it now. I have a list of books you can look at to get instructions on how to make one. They are hardly ever done anymore so most of the references are antiquated."

"I like old books."

Flitwick looked like a proud parent.

"That's a boy. For next week write me an essay on the process of making a Memenograph."


	28. Chapter 28

That afternoon he sat in Transfiguration next to Cascata. She was in a good mood and the topic of Diggory came up often in her conversation. Tamblin kept wondering if he could manage to ask her, or kiss her, or both, but really either would do. Her fixation on Diggory wasn't really helping him work up any courage. Not that the middle of Transfiguration class, under the stern eye of McGonagall, was the best place to pursue such things anyway.

"By the way I got something for you," she remarked casually.

"What is it?"

She reached into her bag and pulled out a badge. She handed it to Tamblin who looked at it speculatively. In bright letters it said "S.P.E.W."

"Again: _what is it_?"

"There were some Gryffindors throwing them away. They said they had something to do with being nice to house elves. I thought you might want one. You know, for Vlora."

"I'll be sure to send it to her," He said while depositing the badge in his pocket.

Cascata smiled, and he noticed the mischievousness in her eyes too late.

"I got two of them, so you can wear one too." She had the second one already in her palm and was pinning it on his robe before he could object.

Tamblin grimaced.

"I'm not getting out of wearing it am I?"

Cascata shook her head.

"I can just take it off when you aren't around."

Cascata looked at him with a strange liquid light in her eyes.

"I'd like it if you wore it, and I'm going to say 'please.' _Please_."

"Girls keep some kind of score of all the dumb things they get guys to do for them, don't they?"

"I can't let Susan get too far ahead," Cascata said.

The door to the classroom opened and the students looked up from their practice. Tamblin recognized the girl from the Durmstrang ship. She walked in and presented a note to Professor McGonnogal. McGonnogal scanned the note quickly and then looked up at Tamblin.

"Mr. Demosthene, please step forward."

Tamblin approached McGonagall's desk.

"Please follow…um…"

"Kostya," Tamblin offered and the Durmstrang girl nodded.

"Please follow Kostya, here. Headmaster Karkaroff has requested to speak to you."

"Yes, Professor."

Kostya was already striding imperiously out of the room and Tamblin had to hurry to follow. As he swept up his bag there was no mistaking the accusing look in Cascata's eyes.


	29. Chapter 29

Kostya said nothing as they wound down the stairs, through the entry hall, out on to the grounds, and down to the Durmstrang ship moored at the edge of the lake. When they started up the gangplank the boy at the top called out something. Tamblin was still having a hard time discerning the words but the tone was definitely mocking and Kostya's response was harsh. The boy laughed and let them by as Kostya fumed silently. She led him down the stairs as last time but at the bottom she merely pointed at the door at the end of the hall. She started up the stairs again before Tamblin could say anything.

He knocked lightly at the door.

Karkaroff's voice came through the door and first said something in Romanian and then "Come in."

Tamblin stepped into the cabin. Karkaroff was behind his desk but the papers had been removed leaving only the neat office things. He looked past Tamblin.

"Didn't Kostya bring you?"

"Oh. Yes, she did. I think one of the students on deck needed her help. I'm not sure. I'm afraid my Romanian is very rusty."

Karkaroff smiled but the eyes remained very watchful. Tamblin was too attuned to people's attention not to notice. He could feel another set of eyes on him as well. He looked around and didn't see anyone else. The last place he looked was the porthole.

Tamblin shouted.

There was a massive eye outside the porthole. Tamblin wasn't sure which would be worse, the idea that it was a plate sized eye right next to the window or an even larger eye deeper in the lake's expanse.

Karkaroff closed a cover over the porthole.

"Curious creatures, giant squid. A trait that is admirable in some and… _less_ so in others. What is 'spew'?"

Tamblin stared at Karkaroff for a second and then slowly looked down at his robes where the forgotten button hung. It still took a second for his brain to consider the question. The eye had startled him badly.

"I think it's a form of marking behavior. Staking out territory."

Karkaroff was quiet a second and then broke out in a barking laugh.

"You didn't get Victhen's sense of humor. More like Elizabeth's. Dry and sarcastic."

Tamblin couldn't stop the look of surprise from crossing his features. There was a small crinkle of Karkaroff's brows in reaction. Tamblin thought quickly. The man knew something. It was too late for Tamblin to feign ignorance, best then to get at the heart of the matter.

"You… remember my mother, Professor?"

"Yes, of course, Tamblin. As I said Victhen and I were like brothers."

"I wasn't sure you knew my Father after he came to England and met my mother."

"Oh, yes. Your father was still fairly young when he came here. Only a few years out of Durmstrang. We had been at school together and so of course knew each other well. Just as I assume you know your classmates well? You must have been happy for your friends Potter and Diggory that they were selected."

"I'm afraid I don't really know them that well, Professor. Neither is in my house."

Karkaroff showed the vaguest annoyance.

"Ah, yes. Hogwart's four houses. We have none of that divisiveness at Durmstrang. I wouldn't hear of it. Of course it helps that our school was founded by a singular witch rather than by four who had to pool their resources."

Karkaroff produced a small tea set from one of his Desk's drawers and proceeded to pour two cups. The pot must have been magical because the tea came out steaming hot. He handed a cup to Tamblin. The tea itself was a deep violet color and had an unfamiliar scent.

"Did my father like this tea?"

"No. It's a vice I picked up later, when I became headmaster of the school. Ironically I believe it was originally a gift to the school from your grandfather. Quite the man, your grandfather. Dour. Mean even. But a man with a keen sense of tradition and honor. He and your father had many rows over those matters."

"My father wasn't traditional?"

Karkaroff laughed.

"By anyone else's measure, surely. But to your grandfather? An idle dreamer! He thought of other things besides simply maintaining the family estate. He would never have come here otherwise."

"I would never have thought of him as such, from what little I remember. It seemed like family tradition was all to him."

"He did change, both with the passing of your grandfather and with your birth. In his youth he was prone to some indiscretions. There were times…" Karkaroff smiled genuinely for the first time and then seemed to catch himself, "which I would tell you about in detail were they more seemly. I recall particularly a muggle gypsy girl that your grandfather threatened to disown Victhen over. And the incident with the Ukranian Ironbelly is still a legend around the school. Your father did some of the most ridiculous stunts. Usually a girl was involved somewhere, but I think that was just an excuse. In his youth he found his legacy suffocating. He wanted to live a life less staid and more adventurous."

Tamblin found himself looking at the 'S.P.E.W.' badge. Would his father be proud that he was embarrassing himself for a girl? Or would wonder why his son couldn't work up the courage to kiss a girl when he himself had apparently done something spectacular with a Russian dragon. Or would he have soured in time and become more like his own father? Tamblin preferred to think of his father as adventurous.

"What about you, Tamblin? Who do you take after? The grim grandfather, the playful father… or the mother?"

The question seemed dangerous to Tamblin.

"I suppose I take after each of them in part."

Both of them lapsed into silence. Tamblin sipped his tea. There were small colorless leaves standing on end in the bottom of the cup. The tea reminded him of vanilla and mint. Minutes passed by. Karkaroff seemed preoccupied, either by memories of the past or plots for the future.

"This was very pleasant, Tamblin. I'm sure we'll talk more over the year."

Tamblin nodded.

"Thank you for the tea, sir."


	30. Chapter 30

At dinner he saw Cascata look over at him several times. When she finished she stood by the doors until she was sure Tamblin had noticed her and then stepped outside. Tamblin finished up his own dinner and started to stand up. His eyes locked with Lisa for just a second. She wiggled the fingers of her right hand at him as a wave.

In the Entry Hall Cascata was waiting. She looked nervous. When she saw Tamblin she forced a smile.

"What's up, " Tamblin asked.

Cascata took a deep breath.

"I heard some stuff today. Some people overheard some conversations and after I heard about it I went and looked some stuff up in the library."

"What did you look up?"

"Karkaroff. He was a _Death Eater_. He was caught and sent to Azkaban. _Mad_ _Eye_ was the one who caught him."

"How'd he get out?"

"Not exactly sure. It said in the Prophet article that he'd been released in return for aid to the ministry." She stopped and eyed him. "You don't seem surprised."

"I suspected he might have been involved. He mentioned a few things during our talk today. The Moody angle is new, though. Maybe there is more than one reason the Ministry called him out of retirement. And he surely knows I've been talking to Karkaroff. Damn."

Cascata looked at him closely.

"You aren't mad?"

"At who? At you? No, why should I be?"

"It just seemed like this was a touchy subject for you. I know you were hoping to find out about your dad, and I really can understand why you wanted to-"

"I still can. I'll just have to be careful about the impression I give the ministry."

"What? You mean you're still going to talk to that…that… " she hissed, " _Death_ _Eater_?"

"Cascata, you don't understand the world I grew up in. In my world there are no real friendships. No trust. There are alliances. There is a consistency of treachery. It functions purely on a calculus of economy. What you need and what you have to spend to get it. Morality is a vice in my world. Morality is what gets you executed because nobody- _nobody_ \- wants nobles to do what they think is right. A person driven by morality is unpredictable. A person motivated by their holdings is more stable and stability is what has always been desired from nobility. Morality was bred out of us, and where it flourished, peasants or kings were quick to kill it. These are the bed time stories I was raised on; the Wallachian prince who did the right thing and so started a war that killed thousands. Were his people grateful? Of course not. Their lord's luxury of morality was bought with their blood. You don't understand that world and I'm very grateful. I can trust you as a friend precisely because you _aren't_ from that world."

There was a muscle twitching in Cascata's jaw and her voice was tightly controlled.

"Well I'm glad that you find _slumming_ it with us peasants so useful, my Lord."

She turned and walked quickly away.

"Cascata…"

She didn't hear or didn't care.

"You have a way with her."

The voice startled Tamblin because it was Cascata's, but wasn't. Callista stepped out from the shadow of the staircase. She looked every bit like Cascata did in her second year except for the green Slytherin robes.

Tamblin spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'm in no mood for Nott's games."

Her hurt look was also exactly like Cascata's, but it was only skin deep, like every other resemblance between the sisters.

"Theodore has nothing to do with this."

"What do you want?"

Callista folded her robe under her as she sat demurely on the wide staircase.

"My dear sister and my patron are both very interested in you. It's in my best interest to know why."

Tamblin laughed bitterly.

"You want to move out from Nott's shadow already?"

Callista smiled sweetly.

"I like to keep my options open. Nott is… convenient. He's smart and he's shown me a measure of kindness. But he underestimates me, and he's using me. I'm not so grateful as to be blind."

"What you want isn't here."

"Are you sure? I need allies. The important people in Slytherin will never accept me. Nott is a loner by choice. He won't help me to know the right people. But _you_ don't care about my parentage, or that I have a Hufflepuff sister."

She stopped and looked at Tamblin appraisingly, then smiled again.

"And maybe you'd like to have a friend who understands your position. One who appreciates the difficulties of your life. One who understands _your_ needs. I'm like Cascata, but better for you."

She held out a hand to Tamblin. Tamblin considered the second year. This move had taken daring. It was a calculated risk that could backfire alienating her from Nott. It suggested a shrewdness coupled with ambition sufficient to warrant risking all.

"You really should have been born as a peer of mine," Tamblin said.

Callista's smile brightened significantly.

"That isn't a complement," Tamblin said. "Nott and I were born to this life and we have no choice but to live it. You didn't have to be this way. You could have had friends. You could have lived a simple life filled with trust and love. You've forsaken your birthright."

Callista was looking down. Tamblin waited a moment but she said nothing. As he started up the stairs she caught his hand and looked up at him.

"Is that it, then? No hope for me?"

Tamblin pulled his hand away. Tears started to well up in her eyes. It was almost certainly another maneuver on her part, but if there was anything genuine in it…

"We'll see, Callista."

Tamblin went up the stairs before she could twist the blade.


	31. Chapter 31

As Tamblin expected Cascata chose to sit with Hannah the next day in Charms. Hannah glanced over a few times at Tamblin with a concerned look. Susan sat on the other side of the room with Ernie. She looked from Tamblin to Cascata and frowned. Tamblin for the most part tried to just ignore the situation but the class topic was still summoning charms and he was already quite adept at them. Without an intellectual distraction he found himself dwelling upon the previous day.


	32. Chapter 32

Tamblin sat down to his cauldron, alone, in Potions when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Hannah was there.

"Do you mind if I work with you?"

Tamblin glanced across the room to where Cascata was crowding in with Susan and Ernie around a single table.

"Sure."

Hannah put her things down and sat next to Tamblin. When he looked at her she smiled brightly.

"What's going on?"

Hannah shrugged.

"I just thought you might want some company."

"That's… very sweet of you. Only I thought you'd be comforting Cascata."

"I did. During Charms. I told _her_ you were a butthead. Now I'll tell _you_ that she's mental."

Tamblin laughed and Hannah smiled more.

"I told Cascata that I was just as much your friend as hers and I would be there for both of you."

"I am… really touched. You and Susan have been considerate to me before, when Cascata and I had problems, but it was clear she was the priority."

"Well, you _are_ a butthead. But then again, she _is_ mental. So really there's no reason for me to prefer one to the other. You know it probably wouldn't have taken this long if you let people in a bit more."

Images of Lisa and Callista flashed in Tamblin's mind.

Snape started the lesson and so he didn't respond.

Tamblin hadn't sat with Hannah often and he was kind of surprised at how close she seemed to sit to her desk mate. It seemed like their arms were constantly rubbing against each other as they worked on the Gyre potion. As they were finishing the potion (with moderate success, it did have concentric rings of blue in the otherwise milky white liquid but did not hum the way it was supposed to) Hannah pointed at Tamblin's robe.

"What is that?"

Tamblin looked down at the S.P.E.W button pinned there.

"Nothing, just some silly idea of Cascata's."

Hannah though was looking at it closely.

"Remember the charm I used first year to color those scrolls? I think something similar might have been used on the button. Can I have it to look at?"

Tamblin thought.

"I better not. I don't want to make Cascata even madder."

Hannah looked hurt.

"Oh, I understand."

"Wait. She gave me two."

Tamblin dug into his pocket and found the first button. Hannah looked quite pleased with it.

"Great, I have an idea."

Hannah's expression reminded Tamblin very much of Cascata.


	33. Chapter 33

The week passed. Saturday Tamblin was in the Alcove finding a bit of respite when Cascata tumbled through the book that served as a doorway. She picked herself up and dusted off her robes. Then she pulled out a wand and waved it, producing a slightly uneven wooden stool. This she sat on and glared at the much more comfortable high backed chair Tamblin was seated on.

"I guess we should talk," she said.

"Why is that?"

"Cause you'll die if you don't spend time with your anchor."

"Well, yeah, there is that."

"This is so frustrating. It's suffocating. I can't be mad at you and just get time away. I'm trapped. I have to be around you even when you're a jerk."

Tamblin closed his eyes. He didn't want to see that expression on her face.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"I really am."

"I _know._ You didn't choose this. You were born with it. And you need me. And I want to help. And it's nice to be needed in a way. But… but I feel like I'll never have my own life. It'll always be focused on you."

Tamblin cringed.

"My life will be to see _you_. To watch _you_ do things."

Her voice was cracking and Tamblin kept his eyes shut. He hated seeing her cry.

"I don't know that much about how it works but maybe I can develop a new anchor. I could ask Dumbledore if he knows…"

"Remember when you asked me? You said it had to be me. Do you still feel that way?"

"Not against your will."

"Do you still feel that has to be me?"

"Yes. But-"

"I do too. I want to be your anchor. I do. I'm proud to be, b-but…but…" She was sobbing. "I can't even play quidditch."

Tamblin wasn't sure how that related but he figured it was a bad time to ask. He opened his eyes and looked at her. It broke his heart. He spoke quietly.

"You want to go out?"

He felt an enormous desire to run up to Dumbledore's office throw open the cabinet holding the pensieve and cast his memory into the bowl so that he could see if he'd said what he just thought he'd said. The look on Cascata's face was confirmation enough, though.

"What?"

Tamblin was good at making snap judgments. On the basis of little information he would look at the issue and make a best guess in a very short space of time. In this case he considered whether he could deny having been so stupid as to blurt out something like "You want to go out?" or whether it would be better to just plunge ahead.

"I asked if you wanted to go out. Like dating."

Cascata stared at him.

"God, I can't believe what a jerk you are! Of all the thoughtless, inconsiderate, childish, mean things to do-"

"That's a no, isn't it?"

"You know how long I've wanted to hear something like that? _From_ _you_? And you ask me when I'm pissed off and distraught? Pissed off and distraught _at_ _you_?"

Tamblin's brows furrowed.

"Is that still a no? I- I could ask you later if, you know, that would help."

Cascata wiped her eyes with her hands.

"Yeah, I want to go out with you. Idiot."

Tamblin smiled nervously. Cascata looked completely wrung out. She laughed.

"Life is so absurd," she said.

"I've noticed," Tamblin said.

"I'm going to go sleep. I'm exhausted."

"What about the study session? It's in an hour."

"It'll get by without me," she said as she stood and made the stool disappear back into her wand.

"Should I tell people we are dating?"

Cascata shrugged.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

After Cascata left Tamblin reflected that the thing with Lisa had been in many ways more satisfying.


	34. Chapter 34

The study session was a bust. Tamblin told Susan and Hannah the news and that was the end of any pretense of interest in scholastics. They demanded he relate to them what had happened. As he did so their smiles faded.

"This is a terrible story," Hannah objected.

"I didn't say it was a good story, I just said it was what happened."

Susan was shaking her head. "Poor Cassie. I knew I should have just told you what to do."

"Poor, Cascata?" Tamblin objected, "She got what she wanted didn't she? I was the one who looked like a total idiot. Blurting it out like that."

Susan glared at him. Ernie gave him a slight "I don't see what they mean either" shrug, but he did it when Susan wasn't looking at him. Hannah tried reason.

"But, Tamblin, she's been thinking about this moment for a long time. She's probably thought about all kinds of ways you might ask her. Lots of nice, sweet, romantic things. And it could only happen once and it happened when she felt terrible and couldn't enjoy it."

"You think this is how I wanted it to go? What about 'poor Tamblin'? Why is it my fault? If she had wanted a big production _she_ could have asked _me_ ," he said sullenly.

Hannah shook her head and Susan continued to glare.

"I swear, Tamblin, sometimes I wonder how Cascata puts up with you as well as she does," Susan said. "This was your chance to make up to her for a lot of stuff and you blew it."

Tamblin looked at Ernie for support but Susan chose that moment to look at him as well and so he had a stern face on. Hannah was fidgeting with something in her hands. Tamblin leapt at the chance to change the topic.

"What is that you have there, Hannah?"

She sort of smiled and shrugged at the same time and held up a button. In fact it was the same button he'd given her in Potions class. Only now it read "Support Cedric Diggory- the real Hogwarts champion."

"I took the button you gave me and tinkered with it a bit. And I managed to figure out how to-"

"Just show him, Hannah," Susan snapped.

Hannah pushed on the face of the button and it changed to say "Potter Stinks." She pressed it again and it reverted to the original message.

"I was thinking about selling them to the students. Well, probably not the Gryffindors, but the rest."

"Them? You have more spew buttons?"

"Yeah. The funny thing is we keep finding them all over the place, now. On shelves in the library. Thrown into corners. Hidden under desks. I've got a whole bag full that I need to change. This is the prototype. I think I'll sell them for a sickle each."

Tamblin was tempted to offer to buy a hundred if it meant that they'd stop giving him grief over the dating Cascata thing. It wouldn't work though. As far as they were concerned he'd done her wrong and he'd just have to live with the recriminations until they arbitrarily decided his sentence was served.


	35. Chapter 35

The study session broke up and Susan led Ernie out by the hand. Hannah hung around.

"Susan has a bit of a point. You said yourself that your friendship has been a bit hard on Cascata. She's been hospitalized twice now."

"Thank you, Hannah. I really needed to feel worse right now."

"My point is that she's partially right. This was an opportunity to make some of that up to Cascata and it didn't go well. _But_ it's not your only opportunity."

"What do you mean?"

"Well a girl only gets to get asked out for the first time once. But there are lots of other firsts too. Not many that are as important, of course. But say the first kiss…"

"Great. I was hoping maybe the worrying and pressure were over."

Hannah smiled.

"Oh no, it's just starting, Tamblin. But the good stuff is just starting too. It'll be worthwhile. She's a wonderful person. A bit mental, but really a good person."

She'd started to get misty eyed.

"Hannah?"

"I just hope you two are happy together. Ooooh, I'm getting flustered. I'll see you tomorrow, Tamblin."

She grabbed her bags and ran out.


	36. Chapter 36

Tamblin spent Sunday studying up on Memenographs. It was a welcome distraction.


	37. Chapter 37

At dinner that night he was surprised to see Kostya come into the Great Hall. She stood scanning the rows of faces until she saw him. Then she motioned for him to come. Tamblin snuck a peek at the Hufflepuff table but Cascata was ignorant of, or deliberately ignoring, the situation. Tamblin took it as sign and quickly left to follow Kostya out into the hall.

The Durmstrang girl didn't bother to say anything but immediately started walking toward the massive doors that lead outside.


	38. Chapter 38

Karkaroff wasn't behind his desk this time. Instead he was staring out the porthole into the blackness of the lake beyond. He didn't turn to look as Tamblin entered the cabin.

"Do you like Hogwarts, Tamblin?"

Tamblin frowned. Karkaroff's voice was airy but his body language suggested weighty concerns.

"It has been a fine institution for learning magic. There are aspects of the school itself I like quite a lot. The library for instance."

"Have you thought about perhaps attending Durmstrang instead?"

"Sometimes," Tamblin admitted. "But my home is here. I think I should like to see Durmstrang, though."

Karkaroff turned to look at last. He wore the thin fake smile he usually adopted.

"You should. You should. It is quite different than Hogwarts, you know. Instead of a separate solitary castle it is a walled city. Well, perhaps 'city' is an overstatement. The non-school population is smaller than the local village. Hogsmeade? Yes. The actual Durmstrang keep is small compared to Hogwarts. Most of the teaching takes place outside of the keep, in the town. Except for the creature pens. Those are outside of the walls entirely. Too many incidents."

"I've read that Durmstrang has a strong history of crossbreeding animals."

"Of course. The school was founded by the niece of Herpo the Foul. You can hardly have the creator of the first Basilisk as a patron and not be interested in the crossbreeding of animals. But then, you'd know all about that from the family histories I suppose."

Tamblin didn't answer. He suspected what was coming next.

"You do know about _them_ don't you?"

"Yes."

"Would you consider-"

"No."

Karkaroff seemed to think about this flat denial for a moment.

"Well, if you are quite sure. Let us speak of other matters. How do you feel about Dumbledore?"

"I'm not sure that is an appropriate question for me to answer, or you to ask."

Karkaroff's smile widened.

"You have a sense of propriety, Tamblin. I would not ask this question of other students, nor under other circumstances. Your father and I were like family." Karkaroff rubbed at his left arm. "And I would like you to think upon me like an uncle, a well connected uncle. And I will think upon you as a long-lost, and well-liked, nephew. A helpful nephew."

"What kind of help is my 'uncle' requesting?"

"I'm very concerned about the tournament, Tamblin. We've barely started and already it's going spectacularly wrong. Two Hogwarts champions. Two! Someone is tampering. You understand I am concerned for the safety of all involved. The tournament will be dangerous enough without someone… upsetting the balance."

"What is it you want me to do?"

"I've heard rumor that you take a lot of walks."

"I've been known to."

Karkaroff carefully cleaned one fingernail as he spoke.

"Even at night?"

"When the mood strikes me."

"And all over the grounds and castle?"

Tamblin nodded.

"Well, if on your walks you see or hear anything that might pertain to the tournament, and you told me then I could make sure it was… legitimate… and within the rules."

"I see. And in return?"

Karkaroff managed to look hurt.

"In return?"

"Well, it's just that you've already missed so many of my birthdays, Uncle Igor."

They stared at each other for a second.

"What did you want," Karkaroff asked flatly.

"I want to know a lot more about my father. I also want to know what you know about my mother and your time here with them. All of it."

Karkaroff grimaced. It was actually a more flattering expression on him.

"It was a very difficult period."

"I know about your time in Azkaban, uncle. You won't shock me."

"Why would you want to know about _that_ period," Karkaroff asked, his eyes fiercely suspicious.

 _You wouldn't even exist if it weren't for my lord._

"I have questions I need answers to. I need to know what happened back then."

"Very well. Bring me some news of the present and I'll tell you of the past."


	39. Chapter 39

The next morning he found Cascata sitting with him again although there was a certain stiffness to her posture that suggested that agreeing to date him hadn't meant giving up being presently upset with him. It was an improvement but not as much of one as he'd hoped. Over the course of the week she did eventually relax, and by Thursday had taken to holding his hand in the hallways when they were walking together. The issue of Karkaroff was one that neither decided to raise. It helped that Kostya did not show up at all the rest of the week.

Tamblin revived his practice of taking nightly walks around the castle. He'd let them taper off, reluctantly, because he was worried about coming across Moody. The castle was much the same as ever, even taking into account the changing pathways and staircases. The grounds were more changed with the additions of the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton conveyances and big crates near the large man's hut. These crates contained the most unspeakably ugly beasts. Tamblin was quite pleased with himself for not electing to take Care of Magical Creatures. Despite the cold, Tamblin mostly walked the grounds so as to make any encounters with Moody's eye less likely.

One night in the Forbidden Forest he came across two male centaurs in a heated conversation. Tamblin crept up close enough to listen to their words.

"…a waste of time."

"Isn't it? What is happening here, now?"

"The stars show nothing of such matters. You know this."

"Yes! So why do you waste your time with them?"

"There is more that concerns me than just the immediate."

"Even our foals know that always looking up means stepping in a snake's nest."

"If you are done teaching me foal lessons I have more observations to make."

"Do you even know what the humans have built at the edge of our forest?"

"The paddocks?"

"Yes!"

"What of them?"

"What do you suppose they mean to hold in them?"

"Couldn't say."

The second centaur stamped his front right hoof in obvious frustration.

"That's because your attention isn't where it should be. Those paddocks are big enough to hold the entire herd."

"You think the humans mean to enslave us?"

"Of course! It is the way of them. They control, and what they cannot control they kill. The elves. The giants. The vampires and werewolves. All reined or put down…"

Tamblin crept away from their argument. He thought this paddock sounded interesting. He worked his way out toward the edge of the forest. It would take him some time to search the whole circumference.

Near dawn he headed back to the castle. He hadn't found anything so far but he had some weeks before the first task. The lever to move Karkaroff was there, somewhere.


	40. Chapter 40

The 'paddock' was a series of four enclosures hidden far enough from the castle that no student was going to stumble across it by accident. Each enclosure was massive and built of thick heavy beams. Tamblin returned to watch the paddocks as often as possible. By themselves they didn't seem enough to report to Karkaroff. On one night he found a number of wizards casting spells on the pens. He watched them closely for any hint that might betray the construction's purpose.


	41. Chapter 41

Tamblin waited until the class was involved with their tasks before he caught Flitwick's eye. The diminutive professor waddled over toward where Tamblin and Cascata were sitting.

"Problem with the charm, Tamblin?" There was a slight twinkle in the eye that suggested he knew that was not likely the issue.

"Oh, no, sir. I just remembered a question I had wanted to ask you." This was always the best approach with Flitwick; enthusiastic curiosity.

"Yes, yes, by all means."

"Do you know what the Ifriine charm is for?"

Cascata's head was still pointed at her book but her eyes slid sideways to watch Tamblin.

"Yes, of course. Interestingly enough it is one of the few charms to transculturate, having originated with Persian mystics some fifteen hundred years ago. Give or take a few hundred years of course. It passed by the teachings of wandering-"

"But professor, what does it do?"

"Oh, that's quite simple. It makes things hard to burn. Fire _proof_ the muggles would call it. Why were you asking?"

"Nothing important, professor. I was… looking up some information on Firecrabs and it mentioned the charm in passing. It makes perfect sense now. Thank you."

Flitwick ambled off to check on the progress of the other students. Cascata's eyes had an accusatory look.

"You weren't looking up Firecrabs, were you?"

"Not as such," Tamblin said slowly.

Cascata took a deep breath.

"This is one of those things we would probably fight about, isn't it?"

Tamblin had made note of the various spells being used on the paddocks at the edge of the forest. Most were ones he was familiar with. Spells to strengthen the wood, to bond the pieces together more firmly, and to anchor the beams in the earth. None of which told him much about what the pens were to be used for.

"I suspect so."

She seemed to think for a minute.

"I suppose if you don't actually tell me what it is that would make me mad at you, then we can just jump right to the part where you realize you were wrong."

"Seems fair."


	42. Chapter 42

Nott and Tamblin were playing chess in a corner of the Great Hall, as the weather outside was miserable. Tamblin was distracted and not playing very well. Nott had already punished him with a humiliatingly quick and decisive victory in their first match. At the moment Tamblin's queenside knight was desperately waving its arms to get his attention. Tamblin dutifully ordered it back behind the meager protection of his foremost pawns.

Looking up from the board he scanned the Great Hall. There was a general hum of gossip and excitement as there had been through much of the year. Here and there he saw a flash of the badges Hannah had been making, and by the stairs stood McGonnogal looking expectant and severe at the same time.

The Great Hall Doors opened letting in a bitter cold wind as well as thin sheet of rain blown sideways. A single figure draped in a heavy cloak entered and closed the door behind himself. McGonnogal moved toward the newcomer who was just taking off his coat. It was Shacklebolt, a ministry man who Tamblin had encountered once previously. His presence seemed very suspicious to Tamblin.

Nott was watching him closely, having made his own move.

"Friend of yours?"

"Acquaintance. He 'shot' me in the back once."

"Hmm."

"I probably deserved it."

"Naturally," Nott admitted. "Your move by the way."

While Tamblin reexamined the board he tried to think of a topic to distract Nott and even up the contest.

"Why isn't Callista watching today?"

"Oh… she's probably off doing girl stuff."

Tamblin stopped and looked up at him. Nott was forcing a smile.

"Whatever it is they do."

He was off. Rather than the usual insouciant calm with a slight condescension Nott seemed genuinely agitated. Tamblin let the topic go, rather than press. He wanted Nott distracted from the game, but it wasn't worth actually upsetting him, and this seeming vulnerability was somewhat unnerving. Nott had been the single most consistent aspect of his life since coming to Hogwarts.

As it turned out the single question had been enough to make Nott falter and the match became significantly more even. They played in silence for some time.

"It's getting more difficult," Nott said suddenly.

"What is, Nott?"

"You don't have to call me that."

"I'm sorry?"

"You never call me by my name, even in private."

Tamblin considered this.

"Very well, what has become more difficult, Theodore?"

"Staying here. Holding the narrow ground." Nott pointed at the strip of empty space between the black and white pieces on the chessboard.

Tamblin nodded.

"We knew they would try to use us, as they did our parents."

Nott said nothing for a while.

"They're succeeding," he said eventually.


	43. Chapter 43

The first task was only a few days away and Tamblin didn't know what to tell Karkaroff. There were pens, fireproofed pens, but what they were meant to hold wasn't yet clear. Tamblin watched the pens from the cover of the edge of the forbidden forest. Nothing new revealed itself to him until he was ready to leave. Then he caught a glimmer off in the sky. The light flickered and wavered. Tamblin froze. The light grew slowly larger and he settled back down into his crouch.

The thing was a long time in coming. After some minutes he could discern that the lights appeared to be glowing lines extending from a dark shape. Minutes more and he could see there were smaller shapes connected to the large shape by those lines.

As is the magic of distance, it seemed that one moment the mass was just as far as always and the next it was right above him. The moon was bright enough for a shadow to sweep over Tamblin. A _dragon_ wheeled above him, turning and dropping down toward the ground. Around it flew half a dozen wizards on brooms. Each held up a wand which produced glowing strands. These connected to the dragon at the wings, upper and lower back, head, and tail. The wizards yanked their wands this way and that and the dragon moved like a puppet. An enormous puppet. As it landed the ground shuddered. Other than the clumsy motions that the wizards produced the dragon seemed quiescent. It had landed in the open and the wizards proceeded to withdraw their lines and reattach them to the dragon's legs. Slowly then they made it shuffle into one of the pens. Once it was within they carefully secured the door. The dragon remained still after they had taken to the skies again.

Once they were safely gone Tamblin slipped back to the castle.


	44. Chapter 44

Tamblin slept after returning to the castle and awoke the next morning planning to make his way to the Durmstrang ship immediately after breakfast, but while eating he was tapped on the shoulder by Lisa.

"Flitwick said you were to report to his office." She grinned, "What have you been up to?"

Before he could answer she winked and then walked further down the table to sit down.


	45. Chapter 45

Flitwick wasn't alone. The big ministry man, Shacklebolt, was waiting in Flitwick's office as well. He kept waving his hand over his head to shoo away the various books that were inclined to try and perch there.

"Ah, Tamblin…" Flitwick seemed far less exuberant than usual.

Tamblin and Shacklebolt locked eyes. Tamblin didn't take his eyes off of Shacklebolt but addressed Flitwick.

"Am I in some sort of trouble, Professor?"

Flitwick frowned. After four years, Tamblin knew the diminutive man only frowned if he wasn't sure of an answer. Good or bad news did not trouble him, but he found the unknown seriously vexing.

Shacklebolt answered for him. Tamblin had forgotten how deep and smooth the man's voice was.

"You aren't in any trouble that I'm aware of, Tamblin." He chuckled. "But I would like to speak to you, if you don't object."

Tamblin nodded.

Shacklebolt waved another book away from his head.

"Why don't we take a walk." Shacklebolt said. "No offence, Professor Flitwick, but I can't imagine how you get anything done in here."

They left Flitwick's office and walked along the corridors of the school. Shacklebolt seemed to have a destination in mind. He didn't talk while they made their way toward whatever it was. Eventually they came to a door that led out on to one of the many battlements. When they opened the door however they were faced with a wall of rain.

"Too bad. This was my favorite view when I was in school here."

Shacklebolt left the door open. A nice fresh breeze swept through, carrying the smell of the rain with it. He leaned back against one side of the door jam. Tamblin leaned back against the opposite side of the doorway and folded his arms. He for Shacklebolt to speak.

"It's been two years since… well our first meeting didn't go so well."

"You were fair enough in the execution of your duties."

Shacklebolt looked slightly relieved.

"I'm glad you don't hold a grudge."

"I did provoke your attack. That you convinced Garrant not to press charges against me for assaulting him helped keep me out of Azkaban."

"I knew I shouldn't have let Garrant go on that one. He can't keep his mouth shut some times. A lot of the time. This sort of gets at what I wanted to talk to you about. Garrant and I were there when… well when your father died."

"Garrant had indicated as much… before I brained him."

"Dumbledore suggested… and, well, I wanted to talk to you about it. I'm not sure you can understand what a time like that is like. People were so scared for so long. People were driven down by fear and suspicion. And when the news spread that the Dark Lord had died, well..."

"They exploded with violence," Tamblin said.

"How did you know?"

"Precedent. I read a lot of history."

"People wanted vengeance against those who'd made them so afraid. The ministry was depleted from the war. They made a call for able bodied wizards and witches willing to help clean up."

"A posse?"

"Yes. While the ministry went after some of the Death Eaters they knew about, this…posse… tried to take care of His other supporters, the ones that weren't actually Death Eaters. The ministry thought it'd be a safer job. It was… for the posse."

Shacklebolt stared out at the rain.

"You have to understand that they weren't bad people, none of them."

"Mobs never are," said Tamblin quietly but Kingsley didn't seem to notice.

"They'd just been so scared and angry, and they wanted to hurt someone. A lot of His supporters got killed by the posses and so did a lot of their families, people we didn't know were supporters, and some who had to have been innocent. The posses started looting the homes of those they'd been sent to apprehend and instead killed. It got bad… so fast."

Shacklebolt sighed.

"Eventually the Wizengamot had to get involved. By then the posses they were no longer under ministry control anyway. People had watched the Ministry try to catch the remaining Death Eaters and mostly fail. There was a consensus among the mob that their way was better than Ministry regulations and rights. That's when they fully broke from the Auror's that had nominally been overseeing them."

"What happened?"

"The ministry eventually broke them up. Some went to Azkaban but not many considering all the damage done. There was some resentment against the Ministry for the few who did get imprisoned. People said the Ministry worried more about those who wanted to deal harshly with He Who Must Not Be Named's followers than with the actual Death Eaters. And a lot of families who had had one supporter of His in them were left ruined and hateful of the wizarding world in general."

"What's your part in this?"

"I _was_ part of it. I used to sell brooms. Then I decided to help the ministry round up some criminals. When the mob started to split with the ministry I went to the Aurors and told them everything I knew. I should have left earlier. I wanted to help, the way I'd meant to originally. The right way. So I begged them to let me join the Aurors as an apprentice. And they did. They were so understaffed they needed all the help they could get."

"So what does this have to do with me?"

"I led a group to apprehend your father. We'd managed to collect enough evidence that fingered him as having provided resources and influence for He Who Must Not Be Named. It was one of my first acts as an official Auror. Didn't go as I had hoped."

"Who killed him?"

"Does it matter? I was in charge, it was my responsibility. If you are going to blame someone it should be me."

Tamblin looked at the Auror who loomed over him.

"It's a pity you killed my father without understanding him. My family has long shepherded lands, people, and money through the conflicts of rival princes and corrupt politics. I intend to carry on that tradition. Voldemort lost. The Ministry won. Killing you would put my house at odds with the Ministry. It would most likely result in my own death and break my line. I can't have that. Are we done here?"

"Yeah, I think we're done."

Tamblin took a few steps and turned back.

"Shacklebolt?"

"Yes?"

"See to it you stay on the winning side."


	46. Chapter 46

Shacklebolt was at the teacher's table at dinner. Tamblin hadn't been to see Karkaroff yet. He had hoped to sneak down there tonight after the meal but Shacklebolt's continued presence deterred him. It seemed unwise with so many Ministry eyes focused on him right now. Currently the Auror was conversing quietly with Dumbledore over plates of pot roast and mashed potatoes.

After Tamblin finished his own meal he walked out into the entrance hall. Rather than the Durmstrang ship he made his way to the owlery. He scribbled a quick note to Karkaroff. He decided not to mention the dragons directly lest the mail be intercepted but instead suggested his 'dear uncle Igor' take a walk along a certain path at the earliest possible convenience.


	47. Chapter 47

Saturday was a Hogsmeade trip. Cascata seemed very happy for it and latched onto Tamblin. She steered him from place to place and seemed to greatly enjoy herself. Tamblin enjoyed it too but he had sort of hoped to share the time with Hannah and Susan, even Ernie. Recently when alone with Cascata he'd felt a certain pressure. She'd made a habit of leaning in close to him at times. The way she did it reminded him very much of the way Lisa had kissed him in the common room.

Hannah, meanwhile, was making an effort to connect with Ernie to make Susan happy. She'd seemed somewhat awkward around Cascata recently. The relationships had changed and everyone was still finding their place in the new order of things. All in all it was quite nice despite the complications. Tamblin bought some treats at Honeydukes and all five of them met at the Three Broomsticks for a celebratory drink before the trip back to the castle.

An owl bore Tamblin a message from Karkaroff Sunday morning while he and the girls were pretending to study. It sent thanks for the suggestion and promised to see to his end of the matter once the frenzy of the first task was taken care of. Cascata gently but forcefully turned Tamblin's chin away from the letter. It was her way of indicating that she thought he needed to be paying her attention. Tamblin folded up the letter and tucked it away. It would wait. His girlfriend wouldn't.


	48. Chapter 48

The First Task was a raucous affair. The stands were packed with the entirety of Hogwarts, students and staff as well as the visiting students from the other two schools. Tamblin sat with Cascata, Hannah, Susan, and Ernie. The students fairly vibrated with tension. A group of Ministry wizards from the Department of Magical Games and Sports placed a clutch of eggs, mostly grey but with one of brilliant gold, in the center of the arena. Moments after they had deserted the arena a sinuous coiled mass of silver and blue flowed through a large door concealed with a tarp. It had a relatively thin snake like body with four short stout legs. From just above its shoulders sprouted great wings that were silver at the leading edge and faded to a dark dull blue at the ends of the membranes. A flattened nose and large eyes gave the creature an almost pug dog look. Tamblin estimated it was about as long as one of the tables in the Great Hall, if you included the entire tapered tail, and about three feet thick in the center.

It moved very quickly to surround the egg clutch. It neither walked nor flew but moved with a strange sinuous movement like a sidewinder snake with legs. And it was very fast. Once it had coiled protectively around the eggs it hissed at the stands of people gaping at it. A thin jet of bright blue flame came from its snout as a warning.

"A dragon," Cascata whispered and clutched at Tamblin.

Even though he knew it was coming Tamblin found himself holding his breath with his classmates. There was a loud whistle from somewhere. Cedric Diggory entered the enclosure. Cascata pulled away from Tamblin and leaned as far forward as the seats would allow.

"Cedric has to fight a dragon?"


	49. Chapter 49

Cedric survived to get his egg. He got rather badly singed though and limped off to Madam Pomfrey's area with the golden egg tucked under his arm.

"Do you think they'd let us go down there to congratulate him," Hannah asked.

"I don't think so," Susan said. "I can't believe how brave he was."

"And how smart! That transfiguration was amazing," Cascata added wistfully.

Tamblin and Ernie exchanged annoyed looks.


	50. Chapter 50

Fleur was next. The Swedish Short-Snout was forced out of the arena by the same team of wizards who had placed the eggs. Once the dragon was gone the grey eggs were replaced by a new clutch of brown and green eggs and a new golden one. Once more the wizards retreated. A new dragon crept forth from the same covered door as before.

This dragon was much stockier than the first. It was wide and low and mostly colored in greens and browns, like the eggs. It trundled along, moving like a centipede despite having only four legs. Large frills expanded on its neck before it bellowed forth a surprisingly pretty roar. Not nearly long enough to surround the eggs without trampling them the dragon instead chose to walk a tight circumference around the clutch. Another whistle blew and Fleur appeared on the field.

"I can't believe how brave she is." Ernie had managed to do a good imitation of Susan's voice.

"She's just so… super," Tamblin added.

Susan elbowed Ernie in the ribs. Cascata laughed.

"Alright, alright, we get the message," she said.

She pressed close to Tamblin again. The pressure pushed him against Hannah on the other side of him. She didn't move or complain though.

Fleur made a sort of undulating movement, her arms held up and her wand in her right hand. The end of the wand glowed a cerulean blue. Her voice trilled softly.

The world got very still and grey. Tamblin looked around him. He'd withdrawn automatically without meaning to. Ernie was staring, his jaw slack. The girls looked only slightly more aware of themselves. All around the stands the students seemed entranced. Fleur was still singing and still waving her wand languidly but she was also slowly walking toward the dragon. The dragon was watching her movements. Slowly its eyes fluttered closed. As she crept closer though the beast snored and a small jet of flame flickered out. It caught the edge of Fleur's dress alight. She started to panic and the crowd snapped out of their stupor. Water sprayed from her wand and put out her robes. The dragon started to snuffle and stir from its trance. Fleur quickly began her keening chant again and the dragon went still long enough for her to grab the golden egg.


	51. Chapter 51

Krum's trial was simple. He blinded his dragon with a curse. This enraged the beast and it stomped around the arena trying to crush him. Despite his awkward gait Krum ran around the beast and grabbed his egg with only a few close calls.

Potter, the last champion, also tackled the matter in a simple way. He used a summoning charm to bring a broom to him. Then he flew around the beast, confusing it and angering it until it committed to a mistake and he could dive in and grab the egg.

Despite being simple, the last two tasks were thrilling for the close shaves and thunderous violence of the dragons. The crowd yelled and screamed. They gasped and roared. And when it was done their energy was no where near spent.

Tamblin looked around him at the wildness in the students. He looked at Cascata. Her eyes were brighter than he'd ever seen them before. She was still crushed against him and her face seemed to be getting closer. She was riding the high of the moment. It could be a good first kiss moment. Tamblin started to tilt his head to kiss her but he was also pressed against Hannah and he felt her go very stiff. Tamblin looked over at her to see what was wrong but Hannah was looking away. When he looked back at Cascata the energy was still there but the moment was gone.

The crowd started to file out of the stands. People were laughing and yelling at one another about their favorite moments. The five of them made their way out of their seats as quickly as the crush would allow. Tamblin felt alienated from the others. He could sense the energy that lifted them like leaves rising over a tidal wave. That same wave split and flowed around Tamblin.

"We've got to get back to the common room," Susan said.

"Yeah, I expect a sizable party is called for," Ernie added.

Hannah gave out a loud "Woohoo." She was skipping alongside the others.

When they got close to the castle Cascata asked him, "You going to be okay? You could sneak into the Hufflepuff common room. Not like you haven't before…"

Tamblin shook his head. "Probably not a good idea. I'd have to stay hidden to keep any others from seeing me. I might as well just go back to the Ravenclaw tower."

Cascata smiled but she seemed disappointed.

"Try not to faint if you see Diggory," Tamblin chided.

Cascata sighed.

"He's so beautiful. But _he's_ not my boyfriend."

With that she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. The corners of their mouths brushed. Tamblin started to turn his head more towards hers, and then hesitated. Cascata had already started drawing back. She hesitated too. Neither moved for an awkward second and then both resumed walking.

They parted at the first floor with the Hufflepuffs heading off toward their Common room and Tamblin heading up the stairs.


	52. Chapter 52

The Ravenclaw common room was much noisier than normal, probably a pale shadow of the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff celebrations, since they had their champions to fete, but still the Ravenclaws were having a good time.

Tamblin sat down and observed. In a group of dancing students he saw Lisa. As he watched he felt an idea. Or maybe it was more of an urge than a thought. Logically it seemed unwise, but he was supposed to feel more and think less, wasn't he? He caught her attention. As she walked over he scooted over to one side. It was the same chair they'd shared before. She squeezed in next to him. He'd forgotten just how nice a fit it was.

"Hi," she said. She had to put her lips to his ear so he could hear her over the noise of the party.

"Hi, Lisa. I wanted to talk to you."

She smiled.

"Really? About anything in particular?"

"Yes. I was hoping we could talk about… kissing."

She arched her eyebrows.

"Oh, yeah?"

"I wanted to learn how to kiss."

"You're hoping to practice," she asked incredulously.

"Well there's a certain difficulty. I have a girlfriend now. But I think if it was just practice- for her- that it might be okay."

She cocked her head.

"You _really_ shouldn't do this…"

Tamblin thought about Luna's assessment of Lisa.

"So does that mean you want to?"

"Mmmmm… _yeah_."

She stood up and started to walk away, looking back just once and nodding. Tamblin got up and followed her to a room off the common room that was usually used for light storage. Two couples were in the room already but were involved enough in their own practice as not to notice the new comers.

Lisa put her hands on her hips.

"You've always gotten top marks in most subjects. I expect the same commitment in my 'class.'"


	53. Chapter 53

Everyone looked pretty worn out at breakfast so Tamblin fit in well. As people shuffled in with blank looks of exhaustion on their faces, he wondered why the first task hadn't been planned for the end of a week rather than towards the beginning. Asking the students to sit through classes after the excitement of the tasks, and subsequent celebrations, seemed cruel.

Especially when they might have people to see. Tamblin wanted to contact Karkaroff to hear what he'd have to say about his father. He considered slipping away from class but somehow it seemed better to let Karkaroff decide the timing, as long as he didn't take too long.

While he was eating Lisa came into the hall. She sat opposite him at the Ravenclaw table. She slid a folded piece of paper across to him and winked.

He opened it but it only had a single "E" written on it in an elaborate curved calligraphy. He must have looked puzzled.

"I decided to grade on the same system as the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. So 'E' means 'excellent.' With some more… research… you might be able to pull down an 'O' for 'outstanding.'"

Tamblin felt heat crawling up from his collar.

"I'll keep that in mind, Lisa."

She smiled and went about her breakfast.


	54. Chapter 54

"This is good, Tamblin," Flitwick trilled. "Your efforts on the Memenograph are shaping up."

"Deciding on the idea was the hard part. Professor, I wanted to ask you something. I've been reading 'Legilimens, Occlumens, and You' like you suggested. I was wondering if it is possible to make a memory 'shield' of sorts."

"How do you mean?"

"Is there a memory enchantment that would make it so you could block legilimens by only letting them see the memory of your choice? Screening the rest of your memories with the one…"

Flitwick tapped a finger against his cheek.

"I don't think it has been done before, but I see no reason it couldn't be done. In fact it might be an excellent test. I've been presuming you have intended to carry on these lessons into next year. There is no official O.W.L. test for memory magics since they usually aren't taught in depth to students. I can petition the Ministry however."

Mention of the Ministry always made Tamblin wary.

"Petition them for what, professor?"

"Oh, to allow a special O.W.L. test. Not often done, of course. Generally the student completes a project which is presented to a panel of appropriate judges. If the panel agrees then a special entry is made in the student's record giving them equivalent O.W.L credit for the topic. I'd say if you were able to develop this memory screen of yours then that would do nicely."

"Develop it? You want me to create a whole new enchantment?"

"Well it won't be entirely new. It will be closely related to various other memory magics," Flitwick said.

"Still, sir, I mean… it's just…"

"Tamblin, you are a wonderfully gifted lad. I am not saying this won't be a challenge. It will, and should be. It is within your capabilities, though."

"Thank you, sir."

Flitwick smiled.


	55. Chapter 55

It was toward the end of the week, and the end of Tamblin's patience, before Kostya showed up in Herbology. She handed a note to Sprout, who in turn looked over the class with that particular blank expression she only got in matters regarding Tamblin. He gathered his things.


	56. Chapter 56

Karkaroff was in good spirits, owing it would seem to Krum's tie for first place. He beamed when Tamblin entered the cold cabin.

"Ah, there you are. I apologize for neglecting your repayment. I have both my students here to teach and matters back home to keep in order. I'm sure you understand."

Tamblin nodded since it seemed the most expedient way to get to the matter he cared about. Karkaroff leaned back in the griffin chair while carefully setting down a half finished paper, just so on the desk.

"Your father came to England, mostly to escape the burdens of his station. He wanted to be free. More free anyway. He couldn't do that under his old man. He had a mansion built including portions brought over from other holdings of the family in the old country. And he lived a quiet life for a time. Or at least quiet enough that I heard little about it back at Durmstrang. I, at the time, had rejoined the school, this time as a member of the faculty. We corresponded frequently but it is hard to get a sense of a person's life through causal letters. You hear about their great pains and joys and some of the small details but all out of proportion."

"I see," said Tamblin, growing more impatient.

"The next time I actually saw your father was at the old man's funeral. What an event that was! Sad in nature, but majestic in scale. Of course your father was greatly affected by his father's passing. The mother had died many years earlier, as had his older brother, and so he was the last of the line. When he returned to England he seemed changed. The weight of his responsibilities to his history was on him. He spoke seriously of returning to Romania but also of settling down, as they say, and making a family. He socialized more heavily with the pureblood families here, seeking a prospect for marriage; the Lestrange family, the Black family, the Nott family, and so on. He had known all of them previously, of course, but had shied away from getting involved with them, because they reminded him of his discomfort with that aspect of his life."

"And through them…"

"Yes. Through them he fell under the Dark Lord's sway. Your father wasn't interested in the Death Eater cause; he had no hatred of the muggles, merely pity. Still he represented such resources and connections that He Who Must Not Be Named cultivated him. He introduced your father to a young woman named Elizabeth who was already within the Dark Lord's grasp. Your father fell in love with her."

Tamblin cleared his throat.

"And did she love him?"

"I think so. I didn't know her very well so it is hard for me to be sure. She seemed to be in love."

"With him…"

A pinched look passed Karkaroff's face.

"Yes. Who else?"

Tamblin shook his head.

"Nevermind. Please continue."

"Victhen and Elizabeth were quickly engaged and married. He asked me to be his best man at the wedding. That was when I first met your mother. At the wedding I also met the man who had brought them together. I came to His attention."

"And he recruited you for the Death Eaters."

Karkaroff closed his eyes.

"Not immediately, of course. But that is when he started working on me. I always thought I had great ambition. How small were my desires measured in his terms! Not that I knew it then. Oh no, I'd learn that later. At first I thought He was a kindred spirit. He showed me what I wanted to see. Later after I was… committed to His ends it became clear. When people talk about it now they speak as if all his people were Death Eaters. They weren't. The Death Eaters were his inner circle. The followers who were true believers in the cause. Most of his supporters were cowards or sycophants manipulated into giving him what he wanted."

Karkaroff's hands were shaking as he gripped the arms of the large chair.

"I don't know why he made me a Death Eater. He knew I wasn't as sure as the others. He knew it! Maybe it was a joke to him in a way. Stretch me as far as he could until I snapped- an object lesson to the others. When they finally caught me I was so relieved I sobbed for hours. Then I went to Azkaban."

The shaking had stopped but there was a look in his eyes that reminded Tamblin strongly of the Basilisk. Madness.

"Have you ever seen a dementor?"

"I have, professor."

"Azkaban is hell, Tamblin. No crime could ever warrant that punishment. And I saw- I committed- crimes you can't imagine. I would have done anything to get away from that. Betraying the Death Eaters was nothing compared to what I would have done."

Karkaroff lapsed into silence. Tamblin waited until the worst of his memories had passed and the man relaxed before speaking.

"What of the Invisibles?"

Karkaroff startled.

"So you really do know. I wondered of course."

"I know and more. I have my mother's power."

Karkaroff gaped.

"How? How could you?"

"I inherited it somehow. It has developed naturally in me. I have slowly, and with some difficulty, learned to control it. But I know little about it. I want to know whatever you know about the Invisibles."

Karkaroff nodded.

"Of course. Not now though. These memories are difficult. We can speak of them later."


	57. Chapter 57

School got back to normal over the next couple weeks. Students were looking forward to seeing the next task, but it was too far off for them to get really excited. People had just started to really relax and look forward to the Christmas break when everything changed.

Tamblin was in the library researching memory magics when Cascata found him. She was trying to shout and whisper at the same time so that her voice came out sounding rather hoarse.

"Have you heard? Sprout just told us!"

Tamblin carefully closed up the book he had been reading.

"Hrrrm?"

"There's going to be a ball. Here at Hogwarts. A real, actual, ball- like in fairy tales. Can you believe that?"

"Ah. Yes, Flitwick mentioned it to us."

Cascata had clearly expected a bit more enthusiasm on his part.

" _You are taking me to that ball_ , Tamblin"

He nodded.

"I assumed as much. Do you want me to formally ask you? I could go get some invitations engraved, if that'd make you happy."

"No, as long as you are clear on the arrangement. I'm going to a ba-all," she said in a sing song voice as she walked away.


	58. Chapter 58

That Saturday would be the last study session for the year. Classes would end for Christmas break the following Friday. Tamblin marveled at just how _thoroughly_ the girls were capable of discussing the upcoming dance. It was endless. Ernie had managed to duck out of the study session somehow. Tamblin considered Ernie a prat for not helping him get out of it as well.

At the end of the study session there seemed to be some pre-arranged signal amongst the girls as Cascata and Susan immediately left and Hannah remained behind with an obvious look of wanting to say something.

"Uh, Tamblin…"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"I wanted to ask you something about the dance…"

"Oh. Uh. Well- I'm going with Cascata…"

Hannah turned a shade of red that Tamblin hadn't thought possible before.

"No! No, that's not what I was asking. No. I know you and Cascata are going together. I mean you two are dating, after all. And Susan and Ernie are going. Cause they're… dating too…"

She trailed off, then laughed and looked embarrassed again.

"Hannah, what are you trying to ask me?"

"I just… this is difficult. I just wanted to ask you, if you would see if one of the boys in your class wanted to go to the dance. With me."

"Oh. Well, okay I guess I can do that. Which one?"

"Huh?"

"Which one? Which one were you wanting me to ask?"

Hannah shrugged.

"Who seems the nicest?"

"How should I know, I hardly talk to them," Tamblin said

"Maybe Terry Boot," she said hesitantly. "I think he and I have talked a few times. A couple years ago."

Tamblin laughed. Hannah blushed again and stamped her foot.

"You aren't making this any easier! It's embarrassing."

"I'm sorry, Hannah. Why don't you ask out one of the Hufflepuff boys you know."

"I just… don't like any of them. Not really."

"And someone you might have talked to a couple years ago is better?"

She looked away from him.

"Will you do it? Please?"

Tamblin reached out and squeezed her arm.

"Of course, Hannah. Anything for you."

She looked up at him and smiled.

"Oh, there was one other thing. Cascata. She doesn't have a dress. I mean she has some dresses but nothing really appropriate for the ball. She was going to try to go into Hogsmeade and find something but they don't have any shops there for that kind of thing."

Tamblin thought for a moment.

"I'll take care of it."

"Good. She should have something special for the Ball."

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Do you have a formal dress for the Ball? And Susan?"

"Oh yeah, we have dresses. You are so sweet though, you would have bought all three of us dresses if we hadn't, wouldn't you?"

"Hannah, I'm obscenely wealthy. Yes, I would have bought you all dresses if you needed them to be happy."

Hannah sighed.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you. Alright, dinner time. Walk me down there?" She held out her arm.

"Sure."


	59. Chapter 59

A week later Tamblin and Cascata were walking off of the school grounds and toward the village of Hogsmeade. With the term officially over they were free to leave the grounds at their leisure. Tamblin had suggested the walk to Cascata as a nice way to spend a Saturday.

As they moved down the main road of Hogsmeade he steered her subtly toward the end of the road.

"Where are we going," she asked and then her brow furrowed. "I don't remember this building being here. What is it?"

She was looking at a very nondescript small shop that was planted at the end of the road where only a muddy puddle had been during their last visit. It had small windows that were delicately frosted to prevent any sight of the interior. No sign hung above to indicate the nature of the shop. A small note hung on the door that said:

If you have to ask, don't waste my time

"Why don't we go see," Tamblin said. He smiled at Cascata's suspicious look.

He knocked once on the door and it opened immediately. An immaculately groomed goblin peered out at them and then promptly opened the door widely and gestured them inside with a flourish.

"Good day to you, Master Demosthene. A pleasure to see you. And you, young miss. Welcome to the shop. Please make yourselves comfortable."

There were two extravagantly plush chairs with a small silver tea service between them. The teapot was steaming merrily and the cakes looked delicious. Facing the two comfy chairs was a small desk and a goblin-sized chair. The room was in all ways appointed like a very elegant study. A thick curtain partitioned off a doorway at the back of the shop. The goblin waited patiently while Tamblin and Cascata seated themselves. Tamblin helped himself to a cup of tea but Cascata was still too unsure of what was going on.

Once he was seated the goblin pulled out a small ledger. And a quill.

"I am Courdire, assistant to Mssr. Hadrian. Now what did you have in mind?"

Cascata looked from the goblin to Tamblin. Tamblin pulled out a small envelope from his pocket and leaned forward to place it on the desk.

"This has some general ideas. We need a formal dress appropriate for a ball."

The goblin wrote a note in the ledger and smoothly collected the envelope.

Courdire looked at Cascata. "Is the dress for Madam?"

Tamblin also looked at Cascata but she still had a blank expression.

"Yes, the dress is for my companion," Tamblin said.

"Very good. When should you need the dress?"

"The ball is on Christmas. Will that be a problem?"

Another note.

"Not at all, sir. We can shift some other priorities. Will you be wanting any accoutrement?"

"Maybe a shawl. Nothing heavy, since it is for a dance. I'll leave it to Mssr. Hadrian's discretion," Tamblin said.

"Excellent choice, sir. Madam, are you ready for the fitting now?"

Cascata leaned over toward Tamblin and hissed, "What is this?"

He whispered back, "A surprise. For you."

The goblin sat with a patience that suggested that the customer, if not always right, was at least always deferred to.

"Uh… yeah I guess a fitting would be…" Cascata thought for a moment. "…sublime?"

The goblin moved quickly to the curtain and drew it back.

"This way, madam."

Cascata got up and stepped through with only one quick look back at Tamblin. Courdire closed the curtain again behind her and went back over to his desk.

"What am I supposed to do," she asked.

"Please disrobe, madam, and the booth will take care of the rest."

"Disrobe?"

"Yes, Madam. I promise you your privacy is intact." Courdire was reading the note in the envelope Tamblin had given him.

Tamblin sipped his tea.

"Alright, I undressed. Now what do I- whoa!"

"Just relax Madam and let the booth do its work. You won't be harmed in the slightest."

Tamblin added some milk to his tea.

The room at the rear of the shop shuddered slightly.

"Hey, that tickles," Cascata said.

Tamblin sipped his tea. The Goblin read and made notes in his ledger.

The shaking increased slightly. There was the occasional squeal.

"You know, this is really excellent tea, Courdire," Tamblin said.

A muffled voice said "Wait, what is that for-"

"Why thank you, sir. I can certainly send the blend instructions on to your house elf if you would like."

There was a whirling sound and two more loud bumps.

"That would be lovely," Tamblin said. "And, if I might suggest, while these cakes are very good I think a lemon or vanilla scone might better compliment the tea."

The whirling sound began to quiet down. Cascata seemed to be making a series of small yipping sounds.

"I'll make a note of it, sir," Courdire said as he did.

The fitting room ceased all noise.

Courdire said, "All finished, Madam. Feel free to get dressed again at your leisure."

A minute later the curtain opened and Cascata wobbled out, looking stunned and dizzy.

Tamblin put his tea cup aside.

"Feeling alright," he asked.

"It was… very… _thorough_ …"

"Of course, madam," Courdire said with clear pride. "Please feel free to enjoy more of the tea and cakes."

Cascata didn't seem to have any appetite. Tamblin finished his tea quickly. As they exited the shop Courdire followed them carrying a small satchel and his ledger. He proceeded to touch the store front in various places and the entire thing collapsed in on itself until it was no larger than the goblin's ledger. He placed both items in the satchel.

"Good day to you both," he said simply, bowed and then disappeared with a cracking sound.

"I _need_ a butterbeer," Cascata said.


	60. Chapter 60

In the Three Broomsticks they found a table. Cascata seemed to be recovering.

"Did you talk about the price while I was… well while whatever happened to me was happening?"

"No."

"But…"

"Places like that don't run specials. If you want what they are selling you pay whatever they ask. That goblin would have thrown a fit if I'd mentioned price. He'd have seen it as implying he was nothing more than a lowly merchant."

"Isn't he a merchant?"

"Certainly, but mentioning that would be déclassé." Tamblin smiled. "There are endless rules to dealing with people like that."

"So how come you aren't like that," she asked.

"How do you mean?'

"I mean you come from the same world as 'Mssr. Hadrian,'" she said, doing her best imitation of a goblin speaking with a French accent. "Why aren't you pretentious- well- _that_ pretentious anyway?"

Tamblin stuck out his tongue at her. They sat quietly and drank their butter bears for a while. Tamblin wished he could get more of that tea.

"The girls told you, didn't they," Cascata asked suddenly.

"Told me what?"

"That I didn't have a dress for the ball."

"Yes, Hannah mentioned it. Does it matter?"

"Well it is incredibly sweet of you to get me a ball gown, but…you would have gotten extra points if it had been your idea in the first place."

She grinned.

"I think I can settle for incredibly sweet."

Cascata bit her lip for a minute.

"I wanted to ask you something, but now I feel guilty."

"What is it?"

"There was a special present I wanted for the ball," she said.

Tamblin sighed.

"What, you think I'm made of money," he teased.

She looked around quickly to make sure no one was paying attention to their conversation.

"No, what I wanted was for us to find a way through the 'Dancing Girl' painting in the Alcove."

The Artiste's Alcove held four paintings that were supposed to be doorways to rooms that facilitated their given art. They had managed to get into the painting room through the self portrait of Phausto Philena but had never seriously tried to get through the others.

"Not a bad idea. I'd hate for you to make the dress look bad with clumsy dancing."

She glowered at him until she couldn't resist laughing.


	61. Chapter 61

They took their time in the Three Broomsticks, and on the walk back to the castle, so that it was quite dark by the time they split ways in the entrance hall. It wasn't all that late but the winter sun was quick to hide from the world. Up in the Ravenclaw common room many students were playing games or reading or otherwise enjoying their first day of freedom from classes. Up still further, in the dormitory he shared with the other boys in his year, he found Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein playing some form of card game.

For the last three years he'd had a sort of unspoken agreement with Terry, Anthony, and Michael Corner; he left them alone and they left him alone. Everyone seemed comfortable and happy with the situation, and Tamblin was about to violate the central tenet of it.

Tamblin walked over to the small table on which they were playing. Strange ghostly shapes hovered over the cards they had placed down in front of them. The purpose of these escaped Tamblin so he ignored them. Anthony looked up at him with obvious puzzlement. Terry was busy placing a card from his hand on the table in precise alignment with the others. As he got it positioned how he wanted the various ghostly shapes hovering on his side of the play area flared and expanded upward into the shape of a tall spectral tower.

"Hah! Trumps, Anthony," Terry said. Then he noticed Tamblin. "Oh. Hey, Tamblin."

"Hello, Terry, Anthony. Terry, there's something I wanted to ask you. Do you have a date for the dance?"

Terry's eyes got very wide.

"Um…I…uh…"

"My friend Hannah wanted to know."

"Oh! For Hannah. Wait, which one is Hannah?"

"Hannah Abbot. She's in Hufflepuff. Long wavy blond hair."

Terry thought hard.

"Hannah…Hannah…"

"She's Susan's friend," Tamblin offered.

Terry's face lit up.

"Oh yeah, _Susan_. Hannah's the girl who is usually with Susan? Okay."

"So anyway, Hannah wanted to see if you'd like to go to the ball with her."

"Say," Terry said casually, "do you know if Susan is going with anyone?"

"Yes, she's with Ernie Macmillan."

"Oh." Terry looked at Anthony who shrugged. "Uh…sure. Tell Hannah I'll go with her."


	62. Chapter 62

Tamblin wrote a note in calligraphy to Hannah saying that Terry Boot seemed very nice and was very much looking forward to escorting her to the ball. He could have just told her in person but he thought she might like getting the word in a more formal way. She'd been so sweet and she clearly felt a little left out. If Terry had said no Tamblin was going to suggest to Cascata that they go with Hannah as a group so she wouldn't feel completely excluded. It seemed like the kind of thing Cascata would have approved of, although Tamblin had to admit the etiquette of dating was still largely a mystery.

He went to the owlery to post the note to Hannah although he made sure to tell the owl that it might wait for morning to deliver it.


	63. Chapter 63

Tamblin went down to breakfast late the next day. He didn't see any of the girls at the Hufflepuff table. After he finished he started up toward the library. As he reached the third floor he heard a voice call out to him. Hannah was standing in a corridor beckoning to him.

"Good morning, Hannah."

"Thank you for talking to Terry for me! That was very sweet of you. And the note was a wonderful surprise. You are so thoughtful."

Tamblin raised a hand.

"Hannah, you're gushing. Please, you'll embarrass me."

Hannah stepped forward and Tamblin was prepared for the usual hug and peck on the cheek. Instead, on accident or purpose, she kissed him full on the lips. More embarrassing Tamblin felt himself immediately start to kiss her back. Lisa taught her subject a little too well.

Hannah pulled back suddenly and threw a hand over her mouth. Her eyes were very wide.

"Oh! I can't believe I did that. Oh- I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean… Please. _Please_ don't tell Cascata. I'm _so_ sorry."

Before he could say anything she turned and ran away, fingers still pressed to her lips. Tamblin wondered if he was going to end up kissing every other girl he knew before his girlfriend.


	64. Chapter 64

Tamblin had been researching memenographs in the library for a few hours when Cascata showed up carrying a small bag.

"Hey Tamblin, have you seen Hannah?"

"Buh-why? Is something wrong," Tamblin asked guiltily.

"No, I just haven't been able to find her since breakfast. Nice note by the way. You do get bonus points for being great to my friends."

"I'm not so sure about that," Tamblin mumbled.

Cascata was looking at the books he had laid out.

"What did you say," she asked.

"Nothing. Want to look at the Alcove?"

"Oh, yeah. We only have five days 'til the ball."


	65. Chapter 65

Tamblin and Cascata stared at the Dancing Girl for sometime. Phausto had painted her very darkly complected, even more so than Cascata's olive skin. She wore an interesting costume that appeared to be a mix of Middle Eastern belly dancer and Indian ceremonial garb. She danced, continuously switching from one style to another, and she was, as Phausto liked to point out, quite limber. Tamblin found his mind wandering from the question at hand.

"Phausto," Cascata said, "how can we get into the dancing room?"

Phausto didn't look out from his painting within a painting.

"Maybe you should try asking her, rather than bothering me."

Cascata gave him a dirty look and then moved up to the Dancing Girl.

"Excuse me. Um… excuse me, miss? We have a ball coming up and we'd quite like to use the dance room. Could we come in?"

If the Dancing Girl heard she paid no attention.

Cascata looked at Tamblin.

"Any bright ideas," she asked.

"Just one."

Tamblin approached the painting. He bowed.

"May I have the pleasure of this dance?"

The Dancing Girl continued her gyrations but the edge of the painting unsealed from the wall. Tamblin looked at Cascata and smiled. She patted his head.

"Good boy," she said as she pulled the painting-door open.

Through the painting was a room of uncertain dimensions. All but two walls were covered with mirrors and these reflected each other perfectly so that the room seemed infinite. The two exceptions were the doorway they were entering through and a painting that looked identical to the Mersene Chorus in the Alcove. The Dancing Girl painting was painted on the side facing into the room as well. Cascata pointed at the Mersene Chorus.

"How can this room connect to the music room? The Mad Poet's room should be in between."

Tamblin shrugged. "Magic."

They looked around the room. Other than the mirrors and the two paintings the room was bare. The floor was a smooth hard polished stone. They looked around the room and finally at each other.

"Well," Cascata said.

"Well," Tambln said.

They stared for a second.

"I guess we should…um…"

"Yeah," Tamblin said.

"Wait, we need music." Cascata walked towards the painting of the Mersene Chorus. The Merpeople, Kelpies, and Grindlows were swimming absent mindedly. "Um, excuse me, could you play a waltz, please?"

Immediately the swimmers formed up into rows. They opened their mouths to sing but instead of their normal haunting voices the sounds of an orchestra came out.

Cascata came back over so that they stood face to face. Tamblin was sure he should do something but he felt suddenly awkward. The look on Cascata's face suggested she was similarly self conscious at the moment. Slowly Cascata stepped up right next to Tamblin. He put one hand on her waist, she put one on his shoulder. They clasped their other hands.

Cascata said, "Um…have you ever done this before?"

"Yes. Not in a long time. When I was young… Vlora and I would dance."

Cascata tried to suppress it, but then burst out laughing. The tension seemed to dissipate.

" _You_ danced with a house elf as a child?"

"If you tell anyone about this they'll never find your body."

She gave him a sly look that said she was going to file away the information for future use.

Tamblin led. It was awkward. Tamblin hadn't waltzed in a long time and while Cascata liked to dance she'd never learned anything formal. They managed to step on each other's feet more often than the floor.

The Dancing Girl had also started waltzing, although she looked far more adept at it. Tamblin noticed an interesting thing; no matter how much they danced or hopped around holding their injured feet, they remained in the center of the room. If he tried to walk toward a mirrored wall or one of the paintings he had no trouble doing so but they never ran into a wall while trying to dance.

They took a short break and Cascata revealed that she had brought a small picnic in the bag she had with her.

"What was all this for," Tamblin asked.

"I thought we might not want to head down to the Great Hall for lunch and interrupt our practice."

Tamblin had an apple.

"You must have had confidence that we'd find a way in."

She smiled.

"I generally assume there's nothing we can't do…together."

They finished eating a light lunch and then resumed practicing.


	66. Chapter 66

By the time they decided to quit for the day they had improved a bit, much to the relief of their toes. It helped when they noticed that no matter which way they happened to be turned they could see a reflection of the Dancing Girl painting in the mirrors. Her movements helped them along and she seemed to be aware of their skill level. As they had started to get better she had started making more advanced movements which Tamblin and Cascata labored to copy.

Dinner that night seemed especially good. They had worked up quite an appetite despite the lunch Cascata had brought.


	67. Chapter 67

Even with everything else that was hovering over his head, Tamblin managed to devote virtually all of the next four days to practicing with Cascata. At night he worked on the various Christmas homework assignments and walked. His life seemed very complicated of late; Callista, Nott, the Ministry, Karkaroff, the Death Eaters, Mad-eye Moody, Dumbledore, Lisa, his mother, his father. It was hard to deal with it all at once. Even Hannah. He had to admit there was a tension there that while not exactly unwelcome was also not particularly easy to deal with. The time spent dancing was good. The exertion was enough to help clear his mind, and spending time with Cascata was nice. At night he had only his walks to keep the craziness of his life at bay. He knew he should be working to resolve some of these issues but he figured it was Christmas and he deserved a break.


	68. Chapter 68

The morning of the ball a package arrived at the Hufflepuff table during breakfast. Tamblin saw Cascata and Susan rush out of the Great Hall with the parcel and talking animatedly. That was the last Tamblin saw of either of them during the day.

The day passed by quickly, despite Tamblin having nothing to do. He felt butterflies accumulate in his stomach as the light from the castle windows dimmed and turned red. He'd been planning for this night for some weeks now but his planning seemed scant in the face of the actual event.

As he walked through the entrance hall on his way toward the Ravenclaw commonroom he saw Karkaroff looking agitated and rushing towards the passage that lead down to the dungeons. Tamblin considered following him but decided he'd best get ready for the ball. Still the rather disheveled and manic look on Karkaroff's face both worried and intrigued him. Where was the man going, and why? As Tamblin started up the steps he noticed that Moody was standing on the first floor landing. He was smiling and his eye appeared to be swiveling to follow Karkaroff's movements. Tamblin tried to pass by the Dark Arts professor without notice but as he reached the landing Moody barked out a greeting.

"Demosthene!"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Shouldn't you be getting all gussied up for the ball," Moody asked.

"I was just on my way, sir."

"Wouldn't want to disappoint your muggle born girlfriend, now would you?"

"Sir?"

Moody took a pull from his hip flask.

"Just saying how important it is for you to be true to those that matter," Moody said.

"Uh…yes, sir." Tamblin continued on up the stares but could feel the eye now focused on him.


	69. Chapter 69

The other Ravenclaw boys were also in the dorms getting ready. It looked like they had never worn dress robes before and Tamblin eventually felt obligated to straighten out a few of their mistakes in donning the outfits. Fortunately they were all wearing fairly simple black and white robes with only a modest amount of accoutrement.

As Tamblin was explaining the function and history of a cummerbund Terry suddenly interrupted him.

"Um. Can you kind of point out Hannah when we get to the Great Hall?"

"I suppose that would be best if you don't recall what she looks like," Tamblin said and sighed. Somehow he thought Hannah deserved better than a date with a boy who just might remember who she was.

Because of Tamblin's informal inspection they all ended up heading down the stairs at the same time. By chance a number of the Ravenclaw girls were also ready to go down then so they made a sort of procession together. The noise of the entrance hall was clearly audible as soon as they left the common room despite all the intervening floors.

It seemed the entirety of Hogwarts was already in the entrance hall, although logically this was impossible since first, second, and third years were not invited. The room buzzed with great excitement and students moved back and forth chattering and joking and generally being filled with nervous energy. And the sights! The usual black robes were replaced by a wild variety of colors. Most of the boys wore the fairly restrained black and white robes that served for men's formal wear. Here and there were a few more… eccentric… choices in men's fashion. Meanwhile the girls wore an amazing variety of dress styles, fabrics, and especially colors.

Tamblin searched the room with his eyes until he found the cluster of people he wanted. He looked back and noticed Terry was the only one still with him. The others had fanned out to find their dates or just to enjoy the crowd. Tamblin took a deep breath before plunging into the press of people. The girls were standing in a knot and when they saw him approach the group opened up to allow him in.

Hannah was wearing an off the shoulder sheath dress that faded from a rich plum color at the top to nearly black at her feet. Interestingly she had decided to wear a sheer white veil with gold edging that covered her nose and mouth and was tied by a simple string that went over the ears. The effect was rather charming. Unlike Terry, Tamblin of course knew what Hannah looked like, still he felt a curious temptation to try and get past that veil and see the girl underneath.

Susan, Tamblin was surprised to see, had chosen a blue sleeveless Chinese style Cheongsam with a high collar. It seemed dignified on her, even regal. Ernie stood nearby. He wore a fine set of standard men's dress robes but looked frumpy by comparison.

But Casacta…

Cascata's dress was black, but not _just_ black. There was an iridescent pattern to the fabric that caught the light and reflected it in swirls and waves of gold. The sheen of it seemed to continuously flow down her like she was constantly dripping liquid gold. The dress was shaped in a fairly simple draped sleeve design and did include a black lace shawl with similar gold iridescence. Other than that she was wearing the necklace he'd give her first year. It too had a black and gold composition. She looked fantastic and she knew it. She was watching his reaction. She must have liked what she saw because she broke out in the biggest smile he'd ever seen.

Terry nudged Tamblin slightly from behind.

Tamblin stepped forward toward Hannah. She looked slightly uncomfortable. They hadn't talked since the kiss in the hallway.

"You look lovely tonight, _Hannah_ " he said, emphasizing the word for Terry's benefit. She blushed a bit. It was interesting to see the blush more on her shoulders and neck than her cheeks due to the veil. He stepped toward Susan to greet her and as he did so Terry moved forward to talk to Hannah.

"That is a lovely choice of gown, Susan. Is there a special significance to the oriental fashion," Tamblin asked.

"Oh, no, not really. I just love the style," she said.

"I can see why."

Tamblin nodded to Ernie as he stepped past.

Finally he stepped up to Cascata.

They locked eyes for a minute. She was daring him to find the right thing to say.

"Mssr. Hadrian doesn't charge nearly enough."

She was playing it cool but there was just the slightest change in her expression that suggested Tamblin was on his game tonight. She moved to Tamblin's right and he took her arm in his.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and students began to file in. Tamblin thought the tall girl in front of him looked familiar but it wasn't until she turned and spoke to her companion in Romanian that he realized it was Kostya. He'd never seen her in anything but the bulky Durmstrang uniform.

The Great Hall decorations were fantastic. The entire hall appeared to be frosted. Tamblin was startled to see garlands of mistletoe hanging everywhere. A number of lamp lit tables provided an intimate atmosphere as compared to the long house tables that usually dominated the room. The ceiling overhead showed that it was a clear night outside and the stars were crisp.

They found a table and sat at it. It seated a dozen comfortably so they had no problems and they were soon joined by two other couples and two boys who appeared to be dateless. Tamblin didn't know any of the others; they seemed to be older students.

Shortly after they sat down the champions and their dates entered in two lines and marched up to sit at the center table that held the judges. Dinner was tasty but it seemed nobody had too much of an appetite under the circumstances. There was some small talk around the table about the decorations and set up for the ball and of course what people were wearing. Everyone was waiting for the ball to get underway. Some were going to bask in it and some just wanted to get it over with, but the desire to get it started was universal.

Everyone quieted down as Dumbledore stood. He asked everyone else to stand and the students hurried to obey. With a single wave of his wand he made the various tables scoot against the far wall clearing room for the dance floor. Another swish conjured up a stage and instruments.

Tamblin looked at Cascata. She looked back and grinned. A number of scruffy looking musicians entered and took up the instruments Dumbledore had provided. The champions and their dates moved into the dance area. They looked rather nervous except for Davies who was staring at Fleur with a fixation that bordered upon obsession. The champions started dancing to the music and quickly were joined by Dumbledore and the rest of the staff. At once the rest of the students moved; some toward the dance floor, of their own volition or dragged by their date, and some away and toward the tables that sat as far from the dance floor as possible.

Tamblin took Cascata's hand and led her onto the dance floor. His heart was beating hard and when he turned to her he saw she was breathing fast. They clasped hands and started dancing.

The practice had helped a lot. The distractions of all the other dancers made things harder but they managed to dance smoothly, much more so than many of their peers. Even the most graceless dancers seemed to be enjoying the sheer pleasure of moving, even if their neighbors didn't. Tamblin and Cascata carefully swept past one of the Weasley twins, who was dancing with a Gryffindor girl in a manner that seemed quite dangerous to anything in their surroundings.

By the end of the first song Tamblin and Cascata started to relax and really enjoy it. As the band struck up the next song it was apparent the tempo was going to be much faster. Cascata looked at Tamblin and bit her lip with a sort of daring look in her eye. Tamblin nodded. They moved closer together and began to dance and whirl much faster than before. They stopped paying so much attention to the people around them and paid more to each other. By the time the song finished they were dizzy and giddy and laughing.

Before the third song could start they moved off to the side of the dance floor.

"Want a drink," Tamblin asked.

"Yes, let's go get some."

Tamblin reached out and touched her chin.

"No, you stay here. Fetching a drink for my girlfriend is one of the duties I accepted when I asked you out."

Cascata smiled. Her shawl had slipped down around her elbows and she wrapped it around her shoulders again. She leaned back against the wall and sighed deeply. She looked happy.

Tamblin found a table stocked with punch and butterbeers. As he ladled some electric blue punch into a couple of cups Nott came up next to him.

"Enjoying the ball, Tamblin?"

"I am, Theodore. Who did you come with?"

Nott turned and pointed. Across the hall Tamblin saw Callista in a long white dress with lace sleeves. The lines of the dress were elegantly classical and as she walked the train slithered like a snake. A nice touch that, Tamblin thought.

"Did you get the dress for her," Tamblin asked.

"Of course. Dame Kennelport's work," Nott said.

"Ah. I like Kennelport. Traditional but not old fashioned."

Nott was looking at Cascata appraisingly.

"Is that a Lockeau?"

Tamblin shook his head.

"Hadrian."

"Hadrian? Oh yes, of the Gard district of France. It's quite excellent," Nott said.

Tamblin nodded as he sipped some punch. It tasted how a spring day smells.

Something caught Nott's attention at the end of the room. Tamblin looked. He saw Professor Snape slip out to the entrance hall. Moments later Karkaroff followed hurriedly. Tamblin and Nott locked eyes.

"I've been seeing Karkaroff a lot around the dungeons lately," Nott said as if remarking on the weather. "Snape has been brushing him off."

"Do you know why?"

"No, but the two share a common history. Both served a cause and both betrayed their master."

Tamblin absorbed this. Looking around quickly to make sure no one was listening in he leaned in and whispered "Snape? A Death Eater?"

"My father has spoken of both of them in an unkind manner," Nott said.

They separated then, each going back to the Vega they had brought to the ball.


	70. Chapter 70

Tamblin found Cascata standing with Ernie and Susan. They were having a lively conversation. As Tamblin approached Cascata put her hands on her hips.

"What kept you," she asked.

"Nott."

Her nose crinkled up. She didn't have the warmest feelings toward the Slytherin. Tamblin handed her a punch cup and she drained it quickly. Dancing had been thirsty work.

Susan and Ernie looked envious.

"I'll get us some drinks too," Ernie said.

Susan looked strangely embarrassed

"No, I'll get them," she said and hurried off.

Tamblin looked from Cascata to Ernie. He hadn't noticed before but Ernie appeared to be limping.

He noticed their attention and looked embarrassed.

"She kind of stepped on my in-step while we were dancing. I'm actually in quite a lot of pain at the moment. She's self conscious though about it, especially since she saw you two dancing, so don't say anything about it, okay?"

Cascata and Tamblin nodded somberly.

Susan came back laden with a cup for each of them.

"Here you go," she said brightly and handed everyone a cup. She must have really been feeling embarrassed.

Tamblin cleared his throat. "Could you two look after my date for a moment? There's something I need to take care of."

Cascata's voice had a definite warning in it as she said, " _Tamblin_ …"

He smiled at her as innocently as he could manage.

"Trust me, alright?"

She had a momentary internal debate.

"Alright."

Susan and Ernie seemed happy to keep Cascata company since it gave them an excellent excuse not to be on the dance floor.

Tamblin moved quickly through the hall toward the castle entrance. He smoothly withdrew as he did so. By the time he reached the open castle doors he was deeply withdrawn- utterly invisible to the throngs of students. He saw a number of students sneaking out into the elaborate pathways hedged by rosebushes and covered in fairy lights that now stood immediately in front of the castle. They were trying so hard to be subtle that they were immediately obvious. He smiled as he moved among them without their ever suspecting.

In the entrance hall he also saw Hannah and Terry. He paused a moment to watch. It looked like their date was not going terribly well. They were sitting on the steps of the staircase looking bored. One of them would say something and the other would smile and nod their head and then the conversation would just die. Tamblin grimaced and moved out of the castle.

The sky was clear and it should have been bitterly cold but all the fairies that had been compelled to line the bushes and provide light also raised the temperature enough to take the edge off. He could hear a fountain gurgling somewhere and the roses were fragrant. Tamblin thought it was a lovely bit of decorating.

He moved quickly through the pathways. He found Snape with no trouble. The professor was stalking along and in a foul mood. He had his wand out and was busily trying to prevent as many students as possible from having a good time. He shone wand light into shadowy bowers and blasted apart concealing brush wherever there appeared to be a couple students otherwise engaged.

Tamblin followed him and noted with some interest the variety of activities his fellow students engaged in. It didn't take long for Karkaroff to find Snape. One moment the potions teacher was moving swiftly and looking for new victims, the next a wild eyed Karkaroff loomed up startling Tamblin.

"We must speak, Severus! I will _not_ be put off any longer."

Snape lowered his wand.

"Very well. What concerns you?"

"You know full well what concerns me," yelled Karkaroff. Then in a hiss he said, "the mark." He had pulled up his left sleeve revealing a black tattoo of a skull and snake. It seemed to move slightly as Tamblin watched it.

Snape wouldn't look down at it.

"I don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor," he said as Karkaroff quickly pulled his sleeve back down to cover it.

"Severus, you can't pretend this isn't happening! It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it."

Snape sneered, "Then flee. Flee and I will make your excuses. I however am remaining at Hogwarts."

There was a motion in a shrub off the path. Snape's wand flicked and the plant exploded. Two older students shrieked and ran from the scant cover of the destroyed bush. Snape called after them taking points from both their houses although it looked to Tamblin like the house cup was the last thing on their minds at the moment.

Karkaroff was about to say something when Potter and another Gryffindor boy appeared around the corner. He immediately clammed up when he saw the two students. Tamblin cursed silently. This information could be critical and he couldn't stay out here too long without severely displeasing Cascata.

"What are you two doing," Snape asked the Gryffindors menacingly.

"We're walking. Not against the law, is it," said the other Gryffindor.

"Keep walking, then," Snape growled.

Neither professor said anything until the Gryffindors were well out of earshot. Then Karkaroff moved to stand in front of Snape.

"You have as much to fear as I!"

"And yet I am not afraid."

Something passed between them then and Tamblin could clearly see that Karkaroff was afraid of Snape. The two of them parted company. Tamblin remained where he was until he could no longer see either. Then he came back to the world.

Looking around quickly he found a rosebush with flowers of a delicate pink. He took out his bloodwand.

"Diffindo," he said. The flower fell into his hand neatly severed from the bush.

"Amaranthus" and the flower glowed white for a moment. It was now preserved so it would last for months.

He started to head into the castle but a thought came to him. Returning to the bush he selected a second flower and cut and preserved it as well.


	71. Chapter 71

Tamblin headed invisibly through the entrance hall and into the Great Hall. Looking around he saw Cascata still standing with Susan and Ernie. The set of her shoulders told him she was getting impatient. He'd only be a moment more, he hoped. He found Hannah sitting at a table looking bored. Terry was sitting at the table too but was talking to Anthony Goldstein. The two were pointing and discussing their friend Michael Corner who was currently talking with a pretty young Gryffindor girl. They appeared to be getting on rather well and Michael's friends were expressing amazement and disbelief.

Hannah was resting her chin on her left hand , her left elbow perched on her knee. Her right hand was extended out and the fingers were drumming absentmindedly on the table.

Tamblin tuned out everything else. Every shred of him had to focus on this for it to work. He was withdrawn and he went further so Hannah would not notice him even as he did something obvious. That was the easy part. Next he slid the stem of one of the two roses under the hand she had drumming on the table. Her fingers brushed the flower but so long as he held it and focused his ability she wouldn't notice. Now the hard part- he kept one finger on the end of the stem, slowly he let the flower become noticeable while keeping himself withdrawn. He didn't want the flower to appear suddenly, startling her. He also didn't want Hannah to see him. It was by far the most complicated feat he'd ever attempted with his ability. Fooling the age line had been a matter of brute force, simply withdrawing as far as possible without losing himself. This required a finesse of control. His attention focused down to a pinpoint. The entire world was that point of contact between his finger and the flower.

Hannah drummed her fingers and looked bored. Slowly she became aware of a new sensation under her hand. She looked over and saw a perfect pink rose laying there. Her eyes widened and she sat up looking around. Carefully she lifted her veil, held the rose up to her nose, and inhaled. Her face was a portrait of pure joy. Tamblin bent close to her face both to smell the rose and to enjoy her smile. He might have stayed but he had another rose to deliver.


	72. Chapter 72

Cascata was tapping her foot and had her arms crossed. Tambin moved carefully behind her and let the stillness drop away.

"Ready to dance," he said.

Cascata whirled around to look at him. Susan and Ernie looked very startled that he'd managed to get right up behind them without their noticing. Susan and Cascata both knew how he'd done it, of course. Still, knowing he could move about undetected and having him actually do it were different things.

"Where've you been," Cascata asked with a definite air of suspicion in her voice.

Tamblin brought up the second rose.

"I wasn't sure if you'd want to go for a walk later. In case not, I'd hate to deny the roses a chance to be near you."

Cascata looked at the rose. She looked up at Tamblin. She looked back at the rose. Quickly she snatched it from his hand. She was trying to stay mad but he could see it was evaporating.

"I _might_ feel like going for a walk later," she said. She couldn't resist any longer and deeply inhaled the rose's scent. Her face filled with the same joy.

"I'm glad you like it. I hope it was worth the wait."

She smiled.

"It has been. I love it."

Susan was elbowing Ernie. She seemed to be trying to give him a message about boyfriend responsibilities. Ernie elbowed her back and pointed at his foot. Apparently he felt that a serious injury negated any flower giving requirements on his part.

"You didn't answer my question," Tamblin said. "Are you ready to dance?"

"Yes." Cascata tucked the flower back behind her ear.

The dance floor was not as crowded as it had been at first. Some had tired of dancing and were now relaxing at tables. Others had slipped off for more private moments. Most of those left on the dance floor seemed to be the ones really enjoying themselves, and Tamblin and Cascata fit in perfectly.

The band played on until midnight and they spent almost all that time on the floor. They stopped only when they needed a quick break to get something to drink. The initial waltzing steps gave way to closer dancing that was far less formal. Susan and Ernie managed to get back on the floor for a while although Ernie was clearly still limping a bit. Hannah was still at the table but she seemed oblivious to her date's lack of attention. She admired the mystery rose intently.

As the Weird Sisters called it a night everybody applauded. People began to filter out of the hall, mostly reluctantly. Those who had not enjoyed themselves for the most part had already departed. Tamblin held Cascata's hand as they walked slowly toward the entrance hall. He steered her slightly as they went. She didn't object. They got close to the doors out of the Great Hall and he stopped and tugged at her arm so that she swung around to face him. He pointed up. They were directly under one of the mistletoe garlands. Cascata saw it and looked at him shyly.

Tamblin reached one hand behind her neck. He felt the muscles there tense and relax in spasms as he guided her to tip her head up. His own leaned down. She gasped slightly as she realized it was finally going to happen. Tamblin had been working up his courage all night to kiss her. Their lips touched softly and briefly and she seemed to think the kiss was done. Tamblin kept his hand on her neck to prevent her pulling back. Their lips touched again and this time Tamblin tried to use what he'd learned previously.

Cascata seemed to sway a bit as he kissed her. Soon she was kissing him back and he briefly wondered if she'd been practicing too before deciding it didn't matter. By the time they pulled apart they both felt a little rubbery. Tamblin felt briefly the sensation of Moody's eye pierce him but he resolved to ignore it. Cascata was looking at Tamblin with a sort of dazed look.

"Merry Christmas," Tamblin said quietly.

"Yeah…thanks," She said distractedly and then, "I mean Merry Christmas."

"Was the Ball everything you had hoped for?"

She smiled.

"We never got to take that walk," she said with a strange emphasis. "But, yes, it was wonderful. The dress is amazing, it's incredibly comfortable. No matter how I move it's perfect. And the dancing was wonderful. And I love the rose. And…" Her voice trailed off for a second. "Well, about the kiss…"

"What," Tamblin asked suddenly worried.

"I think there needs to be a lot more of that in our relationship frankly. One measly kiss is far from sufficient."

Tamblin thought that could be arranged.

"I'll work up a schedule," Cascata said.

The entrance hall was packed with students saying goodnight and heading toward their respective dormitories.

"I wish I was in Ravenclaw," Cascata said.

"Why?"

"Then we could walk up to the tower together." She sighed. "Well I guess this is where we separate. Thank you, Tamblin. This was the best night of my life. Really."

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She seemed hesitant to leave but managed to tear herself away. She moved through the crowd and looked back once before leaving his sight. Tamblin waited for the worst crush of students to pass before heading up to his common room. It'd been the best night of his life too.


	73. Chapter 73

"It was nice of you to get that flower for Hannah," Cascata said suddenly as they took a break from an extended make out session in the Alcove.

Tamblin must have looked surprised.

Cascata laughed.

"What, you didn't think we would know it was you? She might not have seen you do it but who else could have done it? And it was clearly the same kind of flower as the one you got me." Cascata indicated the pink rose that she had attached to her robes like a corsage.

Tamblin blushed a bit. "I should have realized you'd figure it out."

"Uh-huh. Anyway it was nice of you. She wasn't having a very good time at the dance."

"Why'd she want to go out with Terry anyway," Tamblin asked.

Cascata looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Tamblin, you never stop and think about things do you?"

"Hey!"

"I mean human things. I know you think about scholastics and history."

Tamblin wasn't sure this was an improvement over her first statement but decided to let it go.

"What's your point?"

"Hannah likes you, so does Susan. I mean not exactly you, but they like the person you are. So Susan goes and starts dating Ernie because he's pretentious like you are. Hannah asks you to help her ask out another Ravenclaw because she was hoping he'd turn out like you. I don't mean that they would really want to date you-"

"Thanks."

"-I just mean that they've been around you for three years now and they know you are a sweet guy and they want someone like you. Not that I can blame them."

Tamblin considered what Cascata was saying. It made a certain amount of sense, so long as he pretended that he was anything at all like Ernie MacMillan. On the other hand he wasn't sure Cascata was quite right in the case of Hannah. She might be more interested in _him_ than in someone _like_ him. The disturbing part was that he felt something there too. He had to admit an attraction to Hannah that was subtle but not inconsiderable. It was also grossly inappropriate given the circumstances. And he'd clearly been playing to it when he'd, on impulse, given her a rose. The very same symbol of affection he'd given his girlfriend. What kind of message would that send to the girl? Tamblin shook his head. This feeling rather than thinking thing seemed to be dangerous.

Cascata was watching him and Tamblin realized he'd drifted off into introspection again.

"Sorry, just thinking about things."

"Yeah, I kind of figured. Anyway," and here she sounded like she was trying to say something very delicately, "you might want to be careful not to give the wrong impression. Or anything."

Tamblin nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing."

The problem was he didn't know his intentions well enough himself.


	74. Chapter 74

Post-Ball malaise gripped the school for the most part. People seemed lost with the major event past and classes still some days away. Many just wandered around the castle aimlessly waiting for something to do. Tamblin and Cascata seemed to have plenty to do and by the end of the week were getting lectured by Susan that they needed to spend some more time with their friends and less time liplocked or they'd soon not have any friends.

Eventually the first through third years who had left for the break returned. They ran around clucking with each other about their vacations and what had happened at Hogwarts.

A couple times Tamblin saw Callista walking through the halls surrounded by a gaggle of Slytherin girls in her year, or younger, all pestering her for details about the Yule Ball. She seemed to be basking in the attention and working it for all she could. Tamblin almost expected to find her wearing her beautiful ball gown around the school.


	75. Chapter 75

Tamblin spent some time considering the matter of Snape and Karkaroff. He kept meaning to get away and see the Durmstrang teacher but he found that time seemed to just slip away, especially if Cascata was at hand. There was no question that he was getting _ample_ attention from his anchor but the attention he had available to devote toward the many other issues in his life was minimal. He felt guilty about his neglect of other matters, but try as he might his relationship with Cascata consumed all of his time.


	76. Chapter 76

They had a study session at the end of the second week of classes. Tamblin and Cascata were holding hands under the table. Susan was grousing about her divination homework.

"You know what the care of magical creatures students are doing," She asked acidly. "They're getting to pet unicorns. But I'd _much_ rather be working on a star chart."

Cascata just smiled sweetly at Susan's grimace and squeezed Tamblin's hand under the table. He squeezed hers back. He was trying to concentrate on his homework, of which there was a sizable amount, but it wasn't easy. Cascata seemed intent to remind him that she was right next to him, and he couldn't say that he'd tried to discourage her. When they weren't holding hands she was finding some excuse or another to touch him and get his attention. Meanwhile his work on the Memenograph, not to mention all the other subjects, suffered.

"I never heard of them doing anything as nice as Unicorns before," said Hannah.

"Small wonder," Cascata said, "not like Unicorns are going to get close to a giant."

The news of the hill man's parentage had made quite the buzz amongst the students, coming as it had on the first day of class and being of such a juicy nature. The rumors the story spawned were even more spectacular.

Cascata rested Tamblin's hand on her leg and began to lightly scratch his arm with her nails. He tried to focus on the book in front of him but the words seemed incomprehensible.


	77. Chapter 77

Tamblin was shocked to find an entire month had flown by before he got word from Karkaroff. He had only a vague memory of most of that time, including a whirlwind trip to Hogsmeade that had mostly been an expedition in finding new places in which to make out away from prying eyes. It was probably just as well that Tamblin hadn't been waiting anxiously for Karkaroff to resume his history lessons but he still felt guilty. Here he was with a rare opportunity to find out about his father and he was spending all of his time on his girlfriend. Then again from what little Karkaroff had said it's possible his father would have approved.


	78. Chapter 78

Karkaroff seemed fairly upbeat given how haggard and fearful he had been with Snape at the Yule Ball.

"I owe you an apology for the long interruption of our discussion," Karkaroff said.

Tamblin waved a hand.

"No apology needed."

Karkaroff got a sly look in his eyes. Almost a paternal look and for one instant Tamblin really could envision him as an uncle.

"I take it you have been keeping busy?"

The way Karkaroff said it and his slightly leering smile suggested that he was perfectly aware of how busy Tamblin had been and with what.

Tamblin tried to resist blushing but couldn't.

"Yes, the last few weeks have been _instructive_."

Karkaroff laughed. "So you are your father's son. But still with the mother's wit." He turned more somber. "And that's what we are here to discuss isn't it? The mother."

Tamblin leaned forward and nodded.

"Elizabeth fascinated your father. He was deeply smitten with her, and when You Know Who suggested that she needed a patron your father leapt at the chance. She had learned a talent from the Dark Lord, some strange foreign magic. Using it she needed a patron to help guide her. I'm not sure precisely how it worked."

"I know some about that aspect of it. I've been using the term 'anchor' but I suppose 'patron' works just as well."

"All the Invisibles had one, and they seemed fiercely protective of them. That lead us- the Death Eaters- to assume their patrons were their greatest vulnerabilities. The Dark Lord wouldn't say one way or another."

Tamblin frowned.

"I don't understand, you talk like you were enemies."

Karkaroff smiled.

"The Death Eaters were very proud to be the first and foremost followers of You Know Who. The only other followers who could claim any real measure of the Dark Lord's favor were the Invisibles. They were capable of things even the most loyal Death Eater could not do. And at the end not one Invisible was caught by the Ministry, unlike many Death Eaters. So yes, there was a great deal of resentment between the groups. I suspect He wanted it that way so that he could play them off each other and maintain power."

"How many Invisibles were there," Tamblin asked.

"Not many. I think only three or four. Far less than the Death Eaters to be sure. And only one of the Faceless, I think."

"What? Faceless?"

"Yes. The other type."

"What other type?"

Karkaroff seemed surprised that Tamblin hadn't known.

"The magic didn't work the same way with everyone. Some became Invisibles, others became Faceless. I don't know if the person has a choice in the matter or not. Of those He trained only one became a Faceless, so maybe it is more rare."

"But what are the Faceless?"

"Distrubing. Invisibles can disappear but they remain who they are. The Faceless are always visible but they become anyone. The one I met… he no longer seemed human. He didn't answer to his name anymore and became truly faceless."

"What had been his name?"

"Shiloh Kelsey. A weasel of a man. The loss of his original personality was a great improvement, if only he had replaced it with _something_. Instead of _nothing_."

"Where did Voldemort," And Karkaroff winced at the name, "learn the magic in the first place?"

"I don't know. By the time I met Him he had already learned it and taught it to the Invisibles and Faceless. He never spoke of its origin to me, nor, I suspect, to any others. He would have jealously guarded the knowledge because it gave him power."

"What became of the Invisibles… and this Faceless?"

"I don't know. Some might have died. Most of the Death Eaters believed they had fled. Your mother was known to be around, and to have aided the movement, even after He died. But she was the only one, and she seemed more bent on revenge than on helping the remaining Death eaters."

"She was upset at Vol- at His death?"

"Yes."

"She was… close to Him?"

Karkaroff looked suspicious.

"How do you mean?"

"Would you say they were acquaintances, or friends, or…what exactly?"

"It was impossible for the Dark Lord to have true friends. He had only subjects and enemies. She was a very loyal subject of his."

Tamblin tried to still a fluttering in his stomach. He wanted to ask the question directly but feared the answer. Cowardice won out and he changed topics.

"How is it you remember her?"

"How do you mean, Tamblin?"

"The power clouds not only perception but memory. Most people have no recollection of her at all. More, even images of her are faded beyond recognition. So why do you remember so much about her."

Karkaroff grimaced.

"The Dark Lord made sure his followers would remember his work. _Always_." There was a sense of horror and finality in that last word so that Tamblin knew without asking that their audience was finished for the day.


	79. Chapter 79

Tamblin made a concerted effort to refocus on his studies. He tried to get Cascata to as well, but she seemed to take a great pleasure in tempting him away from his work. Not that he could claim he didn't enjoy it, but he felt rather guilty. Eventually they agreed to a set of rules clearly dictating times for scholarly pursuits and times for romantic pursuits. They managed to stick to it for almost two whole days. Eventually Tamblin had to confine himself exclusively to the Ravenclaw tower when he wanted to study.

The Memenograph was coming along and he strongly desired to improve it both for the grade and because of his plans for it in the future. Then too he kept returning to the topic of the memory shield he'd discussed with Flitwick. He hadn't yet started doing serious research on the matter but he found his thoughts returning to it at odd times. Now and then something would occur to him like a puzzle piece sliding into place and he got a slightly clearer image of how the enchantment would work.


	80. Chapter 80

The second task didn't quite have the same suspense as the first. Tamblin supposed that after Dragons it'd be hard for the Second Task not to be a bit of a let down. News had circulated that the task involved swimming in the lake somehow. That was even less encouraging. There was the giant squid of course but even first years knew it was friendly. Meanwhile a couple of students were looking forward to the time out of class for another reason. Tamblin had been strong recently and focused on his homework. There was a sort of unspoken agreement that he and Cascata might get more together time during the champion's task. After breakfast that morning the friends all met to discuss the day. Hannah and Susan were saying how interested they were to see the task, a slight twinkle in their eyes.

"I don't know," Cascata said, looking for some excuse to get out of going, "I think maybe I should… um… study more. A lot more."

Susan glared at her.

"We know perfectly well what you intend to be studying. Besides it's the school's honor at stake. Not to mention our House," Susan said.

"I think you are taking it a bit too seriously," Tamblin started.

"Easy for you to say since there's no Ravenclaw champion," Susan said.

"That's not fair," Cascata said.

Hannah finally butted in, "Cassie; Cedric, swim trunks."

"School honor _is_ important, Tamblin," Cascata said after a moments pause.

Tamblin shook his head.

"Fine."


	81. Chapter 81

Stands were set up on the shore of the lake and the Hufflepuffs and Tamblin sat in a small knot toward the front. The set up and explanation seemed to take forever. The girls were ogling Cedric openly as he (and the other competitors, except Potter for some reason) stood around in their swimming outfits. Ernie was pretty clearly watching Fleur although he tried to be subtle about it after the first sharp jab in the ribs from Susan.

Finally the competitors dove into the water, including Potter who showed up late and dressed in his normal robes instead of swim trunks. For a few minutes the crowd stared at the water. Then they started getting restless and bored. Madam Maxine brought out her wand and waving it she summoned forth an image of the depths. It was a bit hard to see, either due to the dark down there or due to the magic used, and the image could only focus on one competitor at a time. It seemed that the image mostly focused on Fleur, probably due to the whims of who conjured it. Ernie didn't seem to be complaining.

Cascata nudged Tamblin slightly and he pulled his eyes away from the vision of Fleur swimming languidly. Cascata looked pointedly toward the others who were all wrapped up in watching the shifting views of the deep. Then she jerked her head away from the stands. Tamblin got the message and nodded. He decided to try something. He clasped onto Cascata's hand and used the power to make them both invisible. It was much harder with another person than with something as small and inconspicuous as a flower. Tamblin doubted he was making her really invisible, maybe just kind of subtle and easy to overlook.

They didn't travel far. Underneath the stands set up for the spectators of the task they found the nearest privacy. As Tamblin brought them back from withdrawn Cascata gasped.

"Did you…"

"Yes. Just a little ways, I've never tried to hide someone else. I could only get it to work weakly."

Cascata closed her eyes for a moment.

"It felt strange. I felt…lighter somehow. Like I was being buoyed up."

"As I withdraw I don't need much food or sleep. If I go far enough I don't even need air. You were probably feeling that just a bit," Tamblin said.

"It was amazing. Can we do it again?"

"If you like. I rather thought you had something else in mind though," he said with a grin.

She smiled wickedly.

"But think of the opportunities! We might not need to sneak off to make out. We could just be invisible. Rrrrowr."

Tamblin laughed.

"I think I'd need a lot more practice to make that work."

"Let's get started then," she said and grabbed him.


	82. Chapter 82

They didn't end up seeing how the second task finished. The results were easy to find out from the others though. Potter and Cedric were tied for first place, followed by Krum, and then Fleur in last. That gave Hogwarts an excellent chance to win going into the final task. That final task wasn't for another three months, though.

Another decadent Hogsmeade visit flew by. Time was speeding again and Tamblin clutched at it to slow it.

By mid-April he'd managed to get the Memenograph to a point where he felt ready to show it to Flitwick. They met in the Ravenclaw common room and found some comfortable chairs.

"So how are your studies coming along, my boy?"

"Decently, professor. I think my Memenograph is nearly done. Could I get you to 'look' at it and give me an opinion?"

Flitwick looked delighted.

"Happy to, my boy!"

Tamblin touched his wand to his temple. He concentrated on the memory "picture" he had labored so long to create. It was not a memory of an event that had ever actually happened but one he had created through a long process of carefully visualizing the elements in his head and then magically integrating them into a whole.

As he pulled the wand away from his temple there was the faintest silver glow at the end of it. Delicately he leaned forward and touched the tip to Flitwick's forehead. The small man's eyes closed and the silver glow vanished.

Flitwick sat for some minutes evaluating the picture that had now appeared in his head. Then his eyes flew open.

"Hmmmm. _Interesting_ choice of subject, Tamblin. The detail of many of the elements is quite good. Some of the background elements are a little fuzzy but that could also be a stylistic choice to draw the viewers attention onto the fore ground elements."

"Sir, I thought the question was the quality of my work, not its artistic value."

Flitwick shrugged.

"Technically it is very good. Indeed if you were to turn it into me right now I would give you solid marks on it. Of course if you would like to finish it up and earn a higher grade that's fine too. Anyway, as I said before artistry does play an important part in memory magic. An important part in life, I dare say. It's not all dusty tomes."

Flitwick sighed as if he would have very much liked it if life had exclusively consisted of old books to read.

"But don't mistake my critique for criticism, if you take my meaning. I don't think your artistry in this matter is at all bad. And I dare say this image would prove rather popular were you to share it with your fellows."

"It's actually meant as a gift," Tamblin said. "For my… friend… Cascata."

Flitwick arched one eyebrow.

"O-ho. Well… I'm sure that'll be… interesting. I'm quite pleased with the work, in general. Would you like to keep working on it or call it good?"

Tamblin considered. Finishing it now would mean more free time to spend with Cascata. But he wanted the gift to be really ready when he gave it to her.

"I'll work on it a little longer, Professor."

Flitwick nodded happily.


	83. Chapter 83

Suddenly the whole month of May seemed to disappear. June was prepared to descend laden with final exams and the final task. Tamblin was eating lunch when he noticed Karkaroff enter the Great Hall. The headmaster scanned the rows of tables until he saw Tamblin. He stared at Tamlin with an apparent urgency. Quickly Tamblin shoved his food aside and went to speak with Karkaroff.

Karkaroff led away from the Great Hall and out onto the castle grounds. Tamblin had to walk quite fast to keep up with him and it was clear he was most disturbed. They made their way out toward the greenhouses and then around the corner of the thick glassed building where they were out of sight of all.

Karkaroff turned and his eyes looked utterly deranged. The eyes so captured Tamblin's attention that at first he didn't notice Karkaroff's wand pointed at his chest.

"Are you working with them," Karkaroff hissed.

"What?"

Karkaroff took a step forward.

"Are you spying on me, setting me up? Playing the curious orphan to lure me in? Are you one of their servants? Tell me!"

Tamblin carefully kept his voice non-threatening.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Who is it you think is directing me?"

Karkaroff looked ready to burst, then he was perfectly calm.

"The Death Eaters. They're here. At Hogwarts! Maybe right this instant." He looked around but the wand still pointed at Tamblin.

"I swear I have no interest or intent of ever joining the Death Eaters."

Karkaroff's eyes locked back onto his.

"You associate with Nott. The son of a Death Eater."

"Trust me, Theodore Nott is far too independently minded to follow his family's way. Why are you so sure the Death Eaters are here," Tamblin asked.

Karkaroff seemed to relax slightly, his wand drooped.

"Crouch. You must have heard."

Tamblin hadn't and said so.

"Barty Crouch was attacked yesterday here at Hogwarts. In the forest. Victor and the Potter boy saw him injured. Before they could summon help someone attacked Victor and took Crouch's body away," Karkaroff said.

Tamblin considered this.

"I don't see why that would have to be the work of the Death Eaters. There are plenty of creatures in the forest that pose a threat to even an adult wizard."

"No! It is there way. I know it. I can _smell_ it. The pain, the madness, the death. The confusion is their calling card. It spreads fear. What people don't understand is terrifying. This is how they work. This is what I did as part of them. The Death Eaters are in Hogwarts!"

Karkaroff dropped to his knees. He still held his wand but the arm seemed incapable or unwilling to hold it up.

"You must help me. You can shelter me. They will kill me for what I have done. They'll do worse than kill me. You must help me!"

Tamblin took a step back.

"I don't think I can give you the type of help you need, Karkaroff."

Karkaroff's face twisted with anger.

"You owe me! Your family owes me! There is a debt on your blood. I never would have been a Death Eater if not for _your_ Father!"

Suddenly he began to tear at his left sleeve. It came away in tatters revealing a black mark on his elbow. It was the same snake and skull mark Tamblin had seen on Karkaroff's arm at the Ball.

"See! See what He did to us? See what He did to me because of your Father? The Mark doesn't let us forget. It reminds us, every day, of our oath of loyalty, every day, of our crimes. Every day, and it has been getting stronger! You want to know why I remember your mother? Because Voldemort won't let any of us forget our servitude!"

Karkaroff started scratching at the mark trying to tear it from his skin. He managed to draw blood from his arm before he started beating the soft ground with his hands. He was crying and laughing insanely.

Tamblin stared horrified at Karkaroff. The man had broken down entirely. He tried to help Karkaroff stand but the man shook him off. At a loss as to what to do Tamblin eventually left him there.


	84. Chapter 84

Tamblin did see Karkaroff a few days later at the staff table speaking with Dumbledore. He was obviously quite improved although there was still a haunted air about him, as if he knew he had only a short while left to live. Tamblin was pleased to see the Durmstrang headmaster was not barking mad for the moment at least.

They didn't speak again before the third task. Karkaroff seemed to calm down and appeared nearly his old self when Tamblin saw him in passing.

Finals week rolled around. The tests were substantially more grueling than in their first or third years. Everyone had to concentrate fully on the material, and Tamblin and the girls had a number of cram sessions. By the time the third task rolled around, toward the end of the week, nobody cared what the task was so long as it meant a break from testing.

A huge maze had been grown on the Quidditch field. The champions were supposed to enter the maze and find the Triwizard trophy. Whoever claimed it first would be the winner. Potter and Diggory got to enter first due to being in first place. Then Krum, and finally Fleur. Once all the champions were in the maze the crowd got restless. Madam Maxine tried once more to conjure an image of the champions but this time it showed nothing at all. She looked over at Dumbledore who seemed curious, even disturbed by this.

Tamblin was sitting with Cascata. He looked around at the judges. Dumbledore was tapping his foot and had a thoughtful expression on his face. Maxine adopted a posture of graceful patience. She'd not let the situation overpower her composure. Karkaroff sat, then paced, then stood, then sat and started all over again. Crouch… wasn't present Tamblin realized, a young wizard who had graduated Hogwarts just a year or two before stood in his place and tried to look officious. Tamblin wondered if there might have been something to what Karkaroff had said. He turned his attention back to the silver haired man.

Moments later red sparks flew into the sky, the sign that one of the champions was in trouble and needed rescuing. One of the teachers would be moving quickly to that area to help the champion. The crowd gasped and wondered at who it was that had been eliminated, but there was no way to know until they'd been retrieved, and there was a good chance the failed champion would be taken straight to Madam Pomfrey instead of paraded in front of the waiting students.

Minutes later Flitwick rode into sight on a broom and followed by the floating form of Victor Krum. The crowd gasped again.

"Just stunned, no serious injury done," Flitwick shouted to reassure everyone.

Tamblin looked for Karkaroff's reaction but could see the Headmaster nowhere. He turned to Cascata.

"I have to go. I'm sorry but it's important."

She looked at him and then gave him a quick kiss.

"I'll come with you."

Tamblin started to argue, but figured he had little time to find Karkaroff and arguing with Cascata was a time intensive activity.

"Okay, but hurry, and be careful."

"What are we doing," She asked as they made their way off of the stands.

"Finding Karkaroff." He expected her to balk but she didn't.

"Alright. I trust you."

They quickly made their way out of the Quidditch pitch. They looked around. Cascata stopped and pointed. She'd seen him. It looked like he was headed toward the Durmstrang ship.

They ran as fast as they could to catch up to him.

As he was starting up the gang plank they got close enough for him to hear them. He rounded on them and immediately a line of blue energy flew from his wand. It scorched the grass where it touched. Cascata and Tamblin threw themselves flat.

The energy stopped. Karkaroff was looking carefully at them. Then he came down the gang plank again.

"Tamblin? Are you alright? I thought you were them. What have I done?"

Tamblin sat up and brushed himself off. He looked over and saw Cascata getting up too. Karkaroff sighed when he saw both of them appeared uninjured.

"I'm sorry, I was startled," he seemed to remember something suddenly and his voice became panicked. "I don't have time to talk, I must flee."

As he started to draw away Tamblin grabbed his arm.

"I'll help you. I can shelter you."

Karkaroff shook his head.

"Not from Him!" Once more he revealed the mark on his arm. It was much darker now and the snake moved angrily. "He's back. That's what it means."

"He can't be," Tamblin said.

Cascata was staring at the mark without comprehension.

"He is," Karkaroff cried. "I know what this means. I felt the calling just now. Only He could do that. The marks were a magic he created and only He knew their secrets. Already the Death Eaters will be kneeling before Him. I have to flee before they find me. I have betrayed them. Betrayed Him."

Cascata looked at Tamblin.

"He Who Must Not be Named?"

Tamblin nodded.

"You wanted my help before. I suspect you need it now more than ever. I have a portkey that can take us to my mansion. We can hide you there until we know what is going on."

Tamblin looked at Cascata.

"I want you to stay here."

"No, I'm coming with you," she said.

Tamblin shook his head.

"If something happens I can hide, but I can't hide both of us, not well enough. If anything would happen to you I'd die anyway. You have to stay safe for both our sakes. Hogwarts should be safe for you. Try to stay close to the teachers just in case."

Cascata wanted to argue. Tamblin cut her off.

She leaned in close and whispered something in his ear. He placed his forehead against hers.

"Go now. We'll watch from here to make sure you get back to the Quidditch pitch okay."

"Okay. Promise you are coming back soon," she said.

"I promise."

She hugged him tightly and then turned and started running back to the pitch. She got there without being accosted. As she disappeared back into the safety of the stands Tamblin felt for the interior pocket that held the heavy metal loop.

He and Karkaroff took hold of the loop at the same time.


	85. Chapter 85

Vlora opened the door when Tamblin knocked. Her eyes widened hugely.

"Young Master! What are you doing home already? End of term not for another week. Is everything okay? You are not hurt are you," She said as she began to fuss about Tamblin making sure he was in no way injured. It was only once she was done that she noticed Tamblin's guest. "Mr. Karkaroff. Vlora has not seen you for very long time."

"Vlora," Tamblin said, "Karkaroff is to be our guest for some time. You must not mention his presence to anyone. We are offering him asylum from his enemies. His protection is our duty. Any harm to him would dishonor us."

The import of these words was not lost on the traditional little elf. If anything she treated the Demosthene honor as more critical than even Tamblin did. Vlora hurried into the house to make ready a meal and a room for the new guest.

Karkaroff and Tamblin moved into the house.

"They know of this place. They'll find me here."

"Because they know of this place they are less likely to find you here. They'll expect you to hide in some remote location, not in a building they know in central London."

Karkaroff looked skeptical but slightly reassured.

"I remember visiting here several times after your Father and Mother were married. There were happy memories here." He smiled for a moment then became stern. "But I am a fugitive now, my friend is dead, and my enemies howl for my blood. Still, I thank you, Tamblin. I… regret what I said the other day. It wasn't your Father's fault. I could have… made other choices. You don't owe me anything."

They found a room for Karkaroff down in the basement. He felt safer without windows around. Tamblin wanted to return to Kogwarts quickly to make sure Cascata would be alright. The process of getting Karkaroff settled in seemed interminable and Tamblin had to keep reminding himself just how terrified the man was so as not to lose his temper at the delay.


	86. Chapter 86

It was approaching midnight by the time Tamblin used the portkey to return to Hogwarts. There might be hell to pay with the ministry for using the portkey without permission twice in one night. He'd just have to deal with it as best he could.

The Castle was oddly active given how late it was. In fact the Great Hall was filled with a number of people. He might have expected a celebration of the conclusion of the tournament but one look at the room made it clear that was not the case. There was a strong current of dread and shock amongst the students. Few said anything. Many appeared to be quietly crying, most just stood around with stunned looks. Not all of the students were here but at least a few from each house and nearly every Hufflepuff.

As Tamblin looked around and tried to figure out what was going on one of the Hufflepuffs got up from the table and ran toward him. It was Cascata. She barreled into him and grabbed him. She pressed her face against his chest. She was trying to talk while sobbing heavily.

"Cascata. Cascata! I can't understand what you are saying. What's happened?"

She raised her head. Her face was contorted with anguish.

"Cedric's dead," she wailed. Several nearby students were set off into fresh crying of their own.

"What? When? What happened?"

"Nobody knows," she said and pressed her face into his robes again.

She cried a while. When she managed to get her composure back she continued.

"Just after you left, Potter appeared back at the start of the maze. He had Cedric with him. His…his body!"

Tamblin felt in shock as Cascata worked through more tears. He obviously had known there were dangerous events in motion. But Cedric? Why would he be marked for death? Was Cascata at more risk here than he had thought?

Cascata had managed to recover.

"I heard Dumbledore and McGonagall discussing a portkey after Potter returned. I thought they meant ours. Dumbledore said something about redirecting it and I thought you were in trouble. But Potter said something about the cup being a portkey. But Cedric was dead and nobody was thinking straight and I kept thinking you were…"

She grabbed on to him tightly. Tamblin hugged her back.

"I'm fine. Not a scratch." This did little to stop Cascata's tears so he tried to distract her. "And nobody knows what happened?"

She wiped her eyes without effect since new tears appeared immediately. "Some people think that Potter… that he did it. But after what Karkaroff said… Besides Potter might be kind of a freak, and he cheats at quidditch, but he's not a murderer. It must have been…"

Tamblin hadn't seen her this frightened and wretchedly sad since last year during the time his mother was abusing her. He smoothed her hair and said soft things to her. He whispered words to her. They sat down together at the Hufflepuff table. The pain among the Hufflepuffs was overpowering but they easily let Tamblin sit with them. He was there for Cascata so he was welcome, it was as simple as that. Once more Tamblin was surprised and touched by their loyalty. It seemed to come so naturally to them. He felt a slight pang that he had not been chosen for their house. Did he have some flaw of character that indicated he couldn't give that kind of loyalty?

He shook his head. He was letting the mood drive him to depression. Cascata needed him to be strong now. Hannah and Susan looked like they could use it too. They both looked crushed. Ernie was trying to comfort Susan but he wasn't in any better shape. They all looked to him for some measure of reassurance. He was the intellectual one, the one least prone to emotional excess. And he was a Ravenclaw, while the Hufflepuffs never fully appreciated their own value. He'd do what he could to support them through this darkest hour. He'd do it gladly.


	87. Chapter 87

The end of term was more like a wake than a feast. Dumbledore had stunned the room by claiming that Lord Voldemort had returned and had been responsible for Cedric's death. There had been a toast for Cedric and another for Potter who Dumbledore said had risked much to return his fellow student's body, and who had anyway seen and escaped from the Dark Lord.


	88. Chapter 88

After the feast was over Tamblin found Nott beside him as he left the hall.

"Nott."

"Demosthene."

Neither spoke for a minute.

"The war has begun," Nott said. "Now is when all we hold for will be tested."

Tamblin nodded. He held out his hand. Nott gripped it.

"Good luck, Theodore."

"Good luck, Tamblin."


	89. Chapter 89

"Thank you for coming," Dumbledore said as Tamblin entered the office.

"Of course, Headmaster."

They stared at each other for some time, Dumbledore's light blue eyes and Tamblin's dark brown.

"I suppose you are aware why I have asked you here," Dumbledore said.

Tamblin nodded.

"I suspect so. You'd like to enlist my aid. Even prior to Voldemort's supposed resurrection you were trying to heal the past by bringing Shacklebolt here to speak of my father. I suspect the events of the final task have heightened your concerns about me."

"There will be some difficult times ahead. It is quite likely that some will die and virtually certain that many will be hurt. Your gift could help prevent some measure of that suffering. Perhaps even a great measure. Would that not be the greatest use of it?"

"It might seem that way from a distance, or to those already aligned with you. From here, from the center of the "board", it appears that helping either side is to further suffering. I can't stop you and Voldemort from re-enacting your past war, but I don't have to help you, either."

"You believe that Voldemort and I are the same?"

"I'm sure there are differences. You use different levers to move people. But you are the same in the one way that matters."

"How is that,' asked Dumbledore, and he seemed genuinely curious.

"You could surrender right now and spare many lives in the process. Will you?"

"No, Tamblin, I don't think I could do that in good conscience."

"And neither can he," Tamblin said. "So the powerful will clash and the common men and women flee or die. Hundreds of years from now people will read about you and him. About which won and which lost. It will be nothing more than history to the world. The suffering it causes will be a footnote, in very small print."

"Very well. If you reconsider please let me know."

"Good day, Professor."


	90. Chapter 90

Tamblin took Cascata onto the same battlement where he'd first asked her to be his anchor, and she'd accepted. She was doing better. Still in shock but she was able to laugh at times, and smile, and of course kiss.

"What did you want to show me," she asked.

"Give you, actually."

"Even better," she said and smiled thinly.

Tamblin brought out his bloodwand. He touched his temple and summoned up the Memenograph image. Again the end of his wand glowed just slightly silver. He gently placed the end against Cascata's forehead.

She gasped. Her eyes fluttered closed.

"What? I can see an image in my mind. Like something I remember. How'd you…"

"It's something I learned in my classes with Flitwick. I constructed this image. For you. Well also as a class project, but that's beside the point. I thought you might like it…"

She smiled fully. "It's wonderful, Tamblin."

Tamblin closed his eyes too and called the image to mind. In it the Hufflepuff quidditch team was holding Cascata, wearing a team uniform, up on their shoulders. Cascata in turn was holding up the Quidditch cup triumphantly in one hand and her Fluyt broom in the other. Around the team were many members of the Hufflepuff house and Hogwarts staff all frozen in mid clap.

Cascata laughed and Tamblin opened his eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, I love it. But, you know the Quidditch team uniform doesn't include a miniskirt. And I've never seen Susan wear something that low cut. And where would Hannah have even bought a catsuit?"

Tamblin flustered.

"Well I- I mean it's just how… you know."

Cascata gave him a piercing look. "Uh-huh. Sure this was a present for me rather than you?"

Before he could answer she kissed him.

"Thank you," she said. "What did Dumbledore want to see you about, anyway?"

"He wanted to recruit me."

Cascata looked shocked.

"You're going to help fight You Know Who?"

"No."

She looked confused.

"But you said-"

"He asked. I refused."

Now she looked doubly shocked.

"Refused? How could you refuse Dumbledore?"

"Cascata, you hate the Death Eaters for causing your mother's death, right? Do you hate the Ministry equally?"

"What? No. Why would I?"

"Wasn't it as much the Auror's fault as the Death Eater's that the fight occurred? That bystanders were caught in the middle?"

"The Auror was just doing his job; protecting people."

"Protecting the _Ministry_. Not _people_. Your mother, and the hundreds like her are proof of that. The Auror was doing his job just as the Death Eater was doing his."

"How can you say that? The Death Eaters hurt people, murdered people!"

"And the Ministry doesn't? They've killed plenty. They maintain Azkaban and keep the dementors on call. Yes, Voldemort's side was more vicious, but that's because they were the ones out of power. Reverse the situation, make the ministry the small rebellion and see how barbaric they'd turn."

"You can't really believe that! Voldemort is evil."

"The loser is always said to be evil. The winner always writes themselves as the heroes of their history. Had Voldemort triumphed you'd have learned all your life about how good and virtuous the Death Eaters were and the villainy of the one called Albus Dumbledore. That's how history works."

"I don't believe it. I can't."

"Suit yourself. I just wanted you to understand why helping Dumbledore now would be to repeat the error of my father."


	91. Chapter 91

Tamblin had expected their argument to make things difficult but instead Cascata seemed to just put the whole matter aside, as if she'd rather just not think about it at all. He knew she was clinging to her belief in the Ministry as good and he didn't press the matter anymore.


	92. Chapter 92

The summer was difficult. Karkaroff was constantly worrying, and when he worried he fussed. Nothing was quite right for him. Tamblin felt bad about it but mostly left it to Vlora to deal with Karkaroff's temper tantrums. Meanwhile Cascata was coming to visit him. He'd tried to visit her at Hogwarts but Karkaroff had thrown a fit about being left alone. Cascata too had argued for coming to see him. Tamblin had not been able to effectively argue against her desire since he couldn't explain his main reasoning- his mother's ethereal presence. Eventually he relented and allowed her to visit the mansion. He'd kept a close eye on Cascata to look for any indications she was again starting to see his mother, but there were no signs of it. And he had to admit he took a certain joy in parading his relationship with his muggle born girlfriend where he knew his mother might see it.

By midsummer they had entered into something of a routine. Cascata would come to visit. Karkaroff would spend the morning sniffling and whining and then Tamblin and Cascata would finally get some time alone in the afternoon.


	93. Chapter 93

Cascata was reclined on one of the couches near the great hearth. Tamblin watched her for a while in silence. She looked back and smiled.

There was a growling sound and Tamblin's head jerked up toward the fireplace. The carved figures of two mastiff's fighting had come to life and began barking loudly. Tamblin ran to the front windows as Vlora appeared from the kitchen.

Several people in black outfits were moving up the lawn.

"Master," Vlora said eyeing the carved dogs.

"Tamblin," Cascata started to ask.

Tamblin reached the front door and touched the metal pad that fused the doors together just as they shuddered under the impact of something.

"Vlora, Hide! Karkaroff! Cascata! We have to get to the study."

Cascata had stood up but was still in shock.

"What's going on," she asked.

Karkaroff appeared at the top of the stairs. He looked terrified. Tamblin started to drag Cascata toward the study- toward escape- when they heard many voices all yell "Reducto" at once from outside. The great doors couldn't take the strain and exploded inward. Tambin and Cascata were knocked from their feet. Tamblin could feel a burning in his leg and when he looked down he saw blood from where a piece of the doors had cut him. How much blood? Would he have the strength to get them to the study?

Cascata pointed at the door. A dark man shape was silhouetted there.

She screamed, "Death Eater!"

 _To be continued in Tamblin Demosthene and the Empty Places._


End file.
